In the Shadow of the Vampire
by Psychotic Tanuki
Summary: A ruthless serial killer returns to Tokyo for one purpose; to kill the one person who could possibly come between him and victory. However, between conquest and fate, Kamiya Kaoru's decision to let him live could be his downfall. KxKxB/SxM/AxM
1. And the waters turned redlike blood

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

AN: AU Kaoru/Battousai /Kenshin, Megumi/Sanosuke, Misao/Aoshi and it is a vampire fiction. I hope I haven't overdone it…^^; Misao comes out a bit OOC... maybe Kenshin is a little OOC……I took his angst to the extreme…T-T;

"Speech"

_Thought_

Disclaimer: Does not own Kenshin….wish I did…

Prologue: "And the waters turned red…like blood" 

The smell of blood wasn't something that he could forget easily. It tends to hang in the air, like a curtain of metallic perfume that could be tasted in the mouth and felt in the nose. It gave him a type of mind numbing effect, a state of complete nothingness, yet filled with complete pleasure. It was that same feeling of pleasure that disgusted him, and made him wretch inside. It was the reason why lay curled up in his apartment corner, with only his eyes daring to peak out into the night.

His internal reverie was cut short as his 'other self' growled in anger. He sighed in his corner; he hadn't killed anything in a week, preserving his instable sanity. Death brought upon the beast, it was an addiction worse than that of any drug. 

Squeak.

His dark blue, almost violet, eyes glanced from underneath his arms that a rat had entered his line of view. 

Squeak. 

The memory of the smell filled his nostrils, sickening him. The memory of the taste filled his mouth. Oh, how he longed to vomit. His mind lay in unease, it propelled him forward. _You are not that pathetic. He fought the urge and unconsciously, his leg began to twitch up and down. His breathing began to become labored and his whole frame shook. _

Squeak.

Crack.

Crunch.

He reveled in the blood as it dripped down his forearm, and into his eagerly awaiting mouth. Using his lengthy fingernail, he tore open the rat's skin and plunged his face into its blood. Blood splattered over his white shirt, and dotted his pale face. Miniature intestines lay discarded on the floor, yet he was not hungry. No, a vampire of his age did not need to feed every night…even now; he was not swallowing the blood. The taste of it on his tongue was enough. 

Splat.

He threw away the rat from him, and it skittered across the floor, spewing blood. The dark blue, almost violet, eye color slowly receded into their pupils, as hauntingly beautiful gold spewed back out of them. A feral grin tugged at his mouth; once again, the killer of man was free. His gentler self was getting better; he had been incapacitated for a week and a half. Running a slender hand through his long, burgundy, blood-colored hair, he swept it up into a high ponytail, unruly bangs falling forth. When Himura Kenshin had died, he had been born. 

_The Hitokiri Battousai is back. _

--------------

Takani Megumi sighed. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she set down the newspaper she had been reading gently onto the table. Honestly, they didn't pay her enough money to keep this dilapidated ICU unit running. With Genzai-sensei gone, Ayame and Suzume to take care of as well as her patients, she began to feel this week's toll upon her. She stared at the unmerciful clock, of all weeks to place this upon her, the fates chose this week. Her long black hair had been tied haphazardly into a ponytail and her russet eyes diverted their attention. She looked at the newspaper she had just set down, its headline boldly staring back at her.

**_HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI REAPPEARS; 20 MASSACRED _**

He was back. The bastard was back. Closing her eyes she sighed in defeat. She was not strong enough, nor was she up to this. Damn it all, one doctor was not going to be able to bring down the most feared killer in all of Japan. Worst of all, this killer happened to be an undead killer. How do you kill something that's essentially, already _died? Slumping in the chair, she sighed. She was not involved in these things anymore, her involvement ended when Tomoe had died. The young vampire slayer had depended on her to mend her wounds, and help occasionally with potions and such, but Megumi could not do it alone. Tomoe had done the actual killing and she'd been cheering from the back lines. _

"You dumb fuck." She threw the newspaper into the trash, Tomoe had fallen in love with the Battousai, who did not return the sentiment, and he had only fooled her, deceived her and then killed her. 

Why was he back in Tokyo? Wasn't it bad enough that 5 years ago he had plagued their city, killing over 5,000 people? Of course, Megumi felt awful about Kyoto's recent trouble with him and his vampire posse going around, killing innocent people. However, was it wrong to hope that he would just leave Tokyo alone? With a heavy heart, Megumi rose out of her chair and proceeded to the room which held the world's last hope of killing the Battousai. 

Ironically, the only thing that could kill such a powerful monster was a sickly, poverty-stricken, diseased, and dying girl Kamiya Kaoru. Megumi shook her head; Kaoru had been dropped at TokyoHospital for the Terminally Ill by her parents, afraid of her and unwilling to take care of her. So for the last seven years, since she had been placed at the hospital, she never once left her bed. Kamiya Kaoru, the girl with long black hair, cobalt blue eyes and attitude had been less than pleasant to deal with the first few months and for many weeks Megumi had been tempted to throw her out to the Battousai. Only the memory of Tomoe and Enishi stopped her. Well, that and the law.

"Oi, tanuki-chan, wake up." Flickering on the lights, Megumi sighed as she watched Kaoru snore on, without even acknowledging her existence. Reaching a slender hand forward, she slapped her hand over Kaoru's mouth and pinched her nose shut. Seconds later, she had achieved a favorable result along with an annoyed tanuki.

"Megumi-san! Are you trying to kill me?!" Kaoru had shot up out of her bed, and now glared at her doctor, who had become the closest thing to a friend since her stay here. 

"I was just merely waking you up, no need to get flustered about it." Megumi coolly replied gripping her clipboard. The hospitals would be the first place the Battousai would look for her, and soon, TokyoHospital for the Terminally Ill would no longer be a safe haven for either herself or Kaoru. 

"WELL you COULD have woken me up NICELY." Kaoru pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, she set her baleful eyes onto Megumi. 

"Don't look at me like that. Besides, not even YOU could hear above your snoring- Now roll up your sleeve, I need to take your blood pressure." Sending one last glare, Kaoru complied with Megumi's request and stared ahead at the clock on the white wall. It was 9'o clock in the morning, and Kaoru sighed. She always got up at 9'o clock; she always ate at noon, sat in bed all day long and went to sleep at 9 pm. Today would be no different and for the nth time, Kaoru wondered what she was doing in a hospital. She was healthy, 100% healthy and yet her poor excuses for parents insisted she stay in bed all day. Both Megumi-san and Genzai-sensei had also insisted the same, telling her she was doomed to die if she didn't. That the only place she was safe was in the confines of this very room. 

"Good, 111/70, you're not in danger of hypertension." Kaoru snorted. Next, in her incredibly predictable life would be dream analyzing, which was something she was not quite comfortable with, at least, not today.

"So, did you have any dreams last night?" Kaoru glanced sidelong at Megumi. The doctor was not her usual calm, collected, conniving kitsune self. She seemed shaky, almost unsure as to her answer and Kaoru found, that she felt the same.

"No." 

"Don't lie to me Tanuki."Megumi frowned, it was not like Kaoru to try and lie about her dreams, not unless they were disturbing. Today, was important, if Kaoru had seen something in her dream, it would prove whether or not Tomoe was right in announcing that there was another. If not, then Tanuki would gain her freedom in this instant. 

Kaoru, on the other hand, knew her answer would decide her future. Depending on her answer, she would either be able to go free, like she'd always wanted, or stay here forever. However, could she lie? Could she forget their dead faces staring up at her? Could she forget the stench of blood? Could she live with herself if more of them died?

"They're dead. Twenty of them, dead." Megumi let out a shaky breath, Tomoe had been right in her prediction, and this confirmed it. She was now sure that the Battousai had felt Kaoru's presence last night, and now he would seek her out. Neither of them were safe, nor was anyone else in Tokyo for that matter.

--------------

He prowled through the streets ever so carefully. His followers would've surely felt his presence by now and he waited demurely, his plans had been set back significantly. Golden eyes narrowed, this would be much harder with the Rurouni in the way. _Although, the Battousai pondered, __to an extent, he is quite useful. He looked around him as people bustled about their own busy lives, some worried, some overly cheerful. He looked at where his feet had led him and smiled maliciously. The Headquarters of the Oniwabanshu. _

The Oniwabanshu HQ, was the place where he would find one of his loyal supporters; Shinomori Aoshi.He almost snorted at the irony of it all; Shinomori was in debt to him, a vampire, when Aoshi was okashira of the most successful vampire slaying communities. Shinomori himself knew this, although those twits and Okina did not. His daisho was uncomfortable against his thin frame, constricted by the blasted trench coat, not unlike Aoshi's, only without that gaudy collar. He stared at the steps before decidedly walking down ever so slowly, his geta clacking along the concrete. The headquarters, most cleverly disguised as an underground store with a large wooden door waiting at the bottom of many stairs.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, his cold golden eyes stared at the door. Willing the Rurouni to come out, the Battousai held a definitive rule over the body. He would not allow the Rurouni full control ever again. A week and a half out of commission, as well as a year of inaction was what it had earned him. At least, until last night. Shinomori would be most displeased. And with that final thought, he knocked on the door. 


	2. The Gathering of Actors on the Stage

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

AN: oh well…after having two friends read the prologue and convince me to post it…here's chapter 1. Chapter 1 is mostly introducing the main characters.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the clothes on my back. 

Chapter Two: The Gathering of Actors on the Stage

Sagara Sanosuke wanted only three things in death, 1) to be stronger 2) extinction of the human race and 3) Kenshin's approval. He frowned as the fishbone he had been chewing on grew filmy and soggy-like. It had taken him ten years, but the fish bone was finally ready to be thrown out. Tossing it behind his head, he made his way to the Oniwabanshu Headquarters, an excited gleam in his eye. Contrary to popular belief, the whole burning in the sun thing didn't really affect him or Kenshin. He prided himself in being one of the very few vampires in existence to be able to have that ability; it meant he was far beyond other vampires, one of the elite. 

He had felt his master's presence half an hour ago, following it to the Oniwabanshu Headquarters and took his stance against a lamp post. The others were here as well. The ever so genki Makimachi Misao had chosen to sit at the café across the street, while Seta Soujiro stood in the phone booth two blocks away, pretending to speak. Sekihara Tae had been pretending to hail a cab for god knows how long and Katsu had been sitting on a bench reading the newspaper. They all felt it; they felt their master's cruelty, his intentions at the Oniwabanshu headquarters. They were all tense, the bloodlust clear in their eyes.

Their master was dealing with the okashira of the Oniwabanshu, no doubt trying to recruit Aoshi if not employ his services. Sanosuke could only wonder what his best friend and master's techniques of persuasion were going to be this time, as he stared at Kenshin's auburn hair sink further down into Oniwabanshu HQ. However the outcome was clear, after all, the Hitokiri Battousai always got what he wanted. 

--------------

Kaoru watched silently as Megumi sad in the chair next to her, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Somehow, she knew that she was going to stay in the hospital, never leave. She had willingly given up her freedom for the lives of people she didn't know. She still had no clue as to what her role was in all of this and for the first time in two years, she began to question. Who was Takani Megumi? Who were her parents? What was going on in the outside world? Why was she given up? 

"Well, tanuki-chan, we'll have to be moving soon." Kaoru narrowed her eyes. Move where? Why should she listen to a woman, who she virtually didn't know? Why DID she listen to a woman she didn't really know?

"Why? I thought I wasn't supposed to leave the hospital." 

"Tanuki, now is not the time to get a backbone. I'll explain everything later." Kaoru stared up at the twenty seven year old woman, she had enough sense to trust Genzai-sensei, but did she trust her life in the hands of the kitsune? Kaoru herself was twenty five. After 7 years of no symptoms, no relapses, she was quite sure that whatever had ailed her before was not coming back. Other than the fact that she had odd, almost fortune-telling dreams, she would say that she was quite normal. 

"When are we leaving?"

"Tonight, maybe tomorrow night, just be ready." An awkward silence hung in the room, the tension so thick that it was hard to breathe. Kaoru sighed and plopped back down onto the bed, staring at Megumi.

"How are you gonna bust me out of here?" Megumi snorted, Kaoru was warming up to the idea of a Thelma and Louise type adventure. She couldn't blame her; being cooped up in a hospital for seven years of your life would tend to make you antsy. 

"We'll place a bundle of kimonos under your blanket and dress you up in a white lab coat. I'm sure Kamatari won't really mind if I knock her out for a while." Kaoru giggled at the thought of Megumi knocking out the buff nurse.

"Where am I gonna stay?"

"At my place. Honestly, Tanuki, where else would you go?" The awkward silence returned and Megumi took a sidelong glance at the younger woman before rising out of her chair. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to jab at Kaoru's lack of…family.

"I've got business to take care of, be ready by 5, that's when my shift ends." Megumi flipped her hair off of her shoulders and walked slowly to the door, her heels clicking against the linoleum floor. 

"Like I've got anything to get ready." Kaoru retorted as the door closed. She glanced at the clock, 10'o clock. _Damn, I've got another seven hours to go._

--------------

Kenshin raised a deliberate hand and knocked loudly, three times in succession. In the back of his mind, he noticed Sanosuke's arrival. He was always the slowest to come, while Soujiro was always early. That did not bother him, Sano's loyalty was binding and his quality of work was quite admirable. He ceased all ponderings as he felt the Rurouni twitch a disarming smile as Okina opened the door.

"Ah, Himura-kun! Come in, come in." The Battousai inwardly smirked; he was now able to come freely in and out of the Tokyo Oniwabanshu Headquarters, where Aoshi had tried to escape him. 

"Okina-dono, is Shinomori-san in? I'd like to discuss something of great importance with him." Okina's face scrunched up in immediate displeasure. This caught Kenshin somewhat off guard, as Aoshi had long been in Okina's favor.

"The twit is meditating in his room. Omasu, bring him in." Kenshin raised an elegant eyebrow, since when was Aoshi a Zen Buddhist? He almost wanted to laugh out at the pain he had caused the younger man. Almost. 

"And Sayo-san?" Kenshin's face remained dispassionate, although through this question he was being polite as well checking as to whether or not Sano did his job. 

"Ah…well…we found her murdered by one of the Hitokiri Battousai's lackeys." Kenshin fought the twitching of his mouth when he heard the Okina call Sano his lackey. _Ahhh…Sano…Sano…Sano…I will have to repay you for your sacrifice. However, the bitch had to die; she was messing up all of his plans with her damned foresight. Perhaps if he offered Sano a certain kitsune doctor he had come to know in his last visit to _Tokyo. Kenshin was shaken out of his reverie by the sound of a tea cup smashing into the floor. Turning around, his feral grin was back in place at Aoshi's pale, unbelieving face.

"Shinomori-san, it's nice to see you again." Aoshi swallowed nervously and motioned Okina out of the room. Okina, of course, complied, but not without a suspicious glance back. "From you reaction, Shinomori-san, I would think you were surprised to see me." The violet vanished from his eyes and once again, their golden hue took over.

"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Aoshi's eyes had turned cold, his off white yukata and pale skin almost made him look ghostly. 

"I have business here, business that concerns you as well." Kenshin delighted in the fidgeting the usually cold and impassive Aoshi was doing. He was indeed, one of Kenshin's most loyal supporters, although he supported him in secret and out of fear. 

"And if I refuse?" Kenshin let out a cold, calculating laugh. They both knew the answer to that question and the fact that he had even bothered to ask it annoyed him greatly.

"You know what happened the last two times we fought. You almost died and your wife is now dead. Even then, I was not even Battousai." Aoshi's fists clenched. _Sayo… "You'll do as I say." Gritting his teeth, Aoshi glared out from underneath blue-black bangs. _

"Fine. What would like me to do…Battousai…sama?" 

"I'd like you to find someone for me." 

--------------

Kaoru was indignant. You'd think, after seven years of being stuck in a hospital, they'd at _LEAST keep her exercised. Her legs had forgotten how to walk and Kaoru clutched onto Megumi desperately. This was humiliating. Megumi couldn't get her a damn wheelchair because that'd look to suspicious. As if, this didn't look even more suspicious. However, playing the part of a drunk was a lot easier said then done. _

"Kamatari-chan, I'm taking my cousin home…urgh…I can't believe that Enishi let her get drunk…" Megumi was a great actress, she actually sounded sorry…Kaoru threw in a fake hiccup for good measure and started giggling.

"Daijoubu Megumi darling, if I know you, you'd overtime yourself with that sickie in room 359. She's gonna die darlin', they all do if they're here." Megumi gritted her teeth as she nodded her goodbye and briskly dragged Kaoru to the elevator. Kaoru, on the other hand, was confused. How come no one knew that her room was 1043? If she was correct, wasn't the highest number of the rooms on each room -50? She had only known this the multiple times she had tried to escape her first two years at the hospital. Was Megumi even a licensed doctor then? Why didn't Kamatari recognize her? She was sure that Kamatari had been her nurse for the first 3 years of her life at Tokyo's Hospital for the Terminally Ill. She forced another giggle as they entered the elevator. 

"Oi-! Wait up!" Megumi snapped up her head, brown eyes flashing in annoyance at tall doctor, with what she viewed to be chicken hair, and an unsanitary red bandanna. He flashed her a wide grin as he scrambled into the elevator. Megumi fumed silently. He irked her, with a sloppily worn lab coat and a carelessly tossed stethoscope; he was the epitome of the worst doctor. Readjusting Kaoru's grip on her shoulder into a more comfortable position, she flipped her hair and pressed the basement level. 

"So, you work here? I haven't seen you around. I make _sure I know all the pretty ladies in this hospital." He flashed her another large grin and what she guessed to be a pick up line. _

"None of your business tori-atama." 

"Ouch kitsune-onna, that hurt." Kaoru listened carefully as she pretended to be passed out. This just confirmed her suspicions of Megumi's authenticity as a doctor. 

"Well how long have you been working here tori-atama?" Megumi sneered, venom dripped in her voice and grew indignant as the tori-atama threw back his head and laughed. He was oddly attractive when he did this. In an odd, slob, type of way.

"I dunno, this is my first day." Kaoru nearly keeled over in shock, well…that un-confirmed her confirmation. 

"Then you are to be sure to tidy up. These people are dying; they should at least be tended by a clean doctor." With that Megumi dragged her out of the elevator, leaving the laughing chicken in the elevator. 

"Yes ma'am!" 

Megumi rolled her eyes and poked Kaoru. 

"You can wake up now." Kaoru threw her a dirty look and desperately tried to stand on her own, only to succeed in toppling over onto Megumi's beaten up old Oldsmobile. 

"Didn't they go out of business?" Kaoru asked, sneering as her face was plastered into the trunk of Megumi's car.

"It's not like I can afford a BMW." _All my salary goes into keeping Genzai-sensei's old clinic open. Megumi shifted Kaoru off of the trunk and into the front seat. "Buckle up." Flashing a foxy smile, Megumi slammed the door shut and made her way to the driver's side when she saw the chicken head staring at her in the distance. He was in the same scrubs only quite scary and dangerous looking, hazel eyes flashing in her direction, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Megumi shook her head, she was just seeing things. She fumbled with her keys, opened the door and plopped into the seat of the car, ignoring Kaoru's inquiring looks._

"What took you so long to open the door?" Kaoru's question was left unanswered as Megumi pulled out of her slot, and haphazardly drove down the lane. Megumi gripped the wheel of her car harder, everything outside the car didn't matter, a colorless blur. 

Meanwhile, Sagara Sanosuke leaned against a black BMW, glancing out of the corner of his eyes at the speeding, dilapidated red Oldsmobile. As soon as the car sped out of his view, he flipped out his cell phone and scowled, trying to remember that damn phone number.

"Oi, Misao…yeah…yeah…no need, Zen boy wasn't lying. Ciao." Sano closed his cell and placed it into one of the pockets of his white lab coat. He then opened the door of the BMW, hopped in and looked at his partner. 

"Oi, Kenshin…think you can give me a lift?" 

--------------

Makimachi Misao looked at her cell phone in annoyance, emerald green eyes narrowing. If she could, she would've smashed the cell phone, but since they were gifts from Master, she didn't dare. Smiling to herself, she stood up from her position and looked at her prisoner, giggling. 

"Jiya, really, don't look so shocked." Okina glared at her from his current position, which was tied up in ropes, gagged eyes bulging in rage. Misao walked over and squatted down next to Okina. "Aoshi-sama wasn't lying, so I can let you go. Demo, it would be wise not to mention this to him, ne?" With that, Misao skipped happily out of the room to meet with her room mate. 

"Ne, Misao-san, shouldn't you have untied him?" Misao cringed at the perpetual smile on Soujiro's face. She wanted to do nothing but smack that smile off of his face, but as it stood, she was the youngest vampire of Master's group and knew that she was far from being able to beat the smiling vampire. 

"Lead the way, Soujiro-kun." With that, Soujiro delicately skipped around the unconscious bodies of the Oniwabanshu, grimacing at Misao, who haphazardly stepped all over them. She was utterly disappointed. She had wanted to twist Jiya's head off and place it on a platter to serve to her Aoshi-sama. The only member of Master's group not wearing traditional Japanese clothing, Misao was dressed in denim short shorts and a white T-shirt, giving the air of a school girl. There were only two things that Misao looked forward to nowadays, the promised conversion of her Aoshi-sama and the creation of Master's empire. She scrunched up her face, she couldn't quite remember why she wanted Aoshi-sama, but she did. With the loss of the soul once converted to a vampire, one also lost their memories. However, Misao giggled, Master was most surprised with her infatuation with Shinomori Aoshi. 

"Ne, Soujiro-kun, do you think Master will let me convert Aoshi-sama myself?" Soujiro was disturbed, yet faced Misao smiling. 

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I wanna have Aoshi all to myself." 

"Aa, sou desu ka? Master has a romantic side, I'm sure he will let you Misao-san." 

"YOSH!" Misao ran forward in front of him, skipping out of Oniwabanshu Headquarters. Soujiro walked behind her, smile slipping from his face, before quickly returning. He stopped a moment before looking at the sullen Aoshi. 

"Ne, Shinomori-san, you shouldn't smash Himura-san's expectations. It would be most unfortunate for the rest of the Oniwabanshu." Soujiro bowed and ran to catch up with the genki Misao. 

Aoshi looked up, hatred burning in his eyes. He looked around at the four bloody corpses that used to be his best friends, Hyottoko, Beshimi, Hannya and Shikijo. _What choice do I have? _

--------------

Sekihara Tae stared out of her squinting eyes at her customer. She was not a full vampire, only half. She shared half her Master's blood, and was part of the reason she squinted. With gold cat-like eyes, it would scare half her customers away, as well as her employees. This customer however, was the ever famous Saitou Hajime, rouge vampire hunter extraordinaire. Saitou Hajime was eating soba at her restaurant, oh how her master would be pleased if she could just kill him off now with poisoned water. However, it would be most unfortunate if she were to be caught, and without Master's permission at that. 

"Oi, onna, I'd like my check." Nodding demurely, she turned to get his check. "Onna, have you ever seen this man?" Saitou shoved a picture in her face. It was a vague, badly taken, fuzzy picture of her master, Himura Battousai. 

"I am sorry, I have not." She lied through her teeth, she saw this man every day that he was not incapacitated by the Rurouni. 

"Then have you seen this woman?" He shoved another picture in her face, and if possible, Tae's eyes grew narrower. A picture of a ponytail-ed, dark haired woman in hospital bed and wide blue eyes greeted her. For the vampire hunter to be searching for this girl would mean much importance as to the identities of her Master's enemies. Inwardly she laughed. Her life revolved around her job for Master, her ever so important job as the information gatherer and target finder. 

"Gomen, I have not. Here is your check." Saitou nodded and shoved out the money onto the table before leaving abruptly. Tae scowled as she bent over to collect the money scattered on the table and on the floor.

"Tae-san!" She whirled around to see her hired hand, Myoujin Yahiko's urgent face stare back at her. 

"What is it Yahiko-kun?" She smiled, silently wanting to smack the boy and his little waitress girlfriend Tsubame…but since she sheltered them, she got free work. 

"Katsu-san asked me to give this to you." Tae's eyes widened slightly at the red envelope in Yahiko's hand before taking it and placing it into her apron's pockets.

"Arigato. Now go back to work, we've got people to feed." 

"Hai!" Tae frowned; a red envelope was never any good. Katsu was always the bringer of bad news.

--------------

Megumi sighed. It was now 6:30 pm, and sneaking Kaoru out of TokyoHospital for the Terminally Ill was over, as well as her job there. Kaoru was safe and she was now free to work at Genzai-sensei's clinic full time. The first thing on her agenda was to make sure Kaoru could walk by herself. That and making sure Kaoru would be able to run, in case Battousai would find them. 

"Tanuki, we're home free." Kaoru snorted. Here she was, in a beat up car, with a person she wasn't sure she could trust, for reasons she didn't know and this was the best situation she could possibly be in. Her agenda (as soon as she could walk again) was to get as far away from Tokyo as possible. Of course, she couldn't tell this to Megumi, whom she sort of owed quite a bit. 

"So…get up and help me out of this damn car." Megumi sighed before getting out of the car and trotting to the other side and opening the car door. Kaoru promptly held out her arms and Megumi pulled her up and wrapped an arm around Kaoru's waist and Kaoru slung an arm around Megumi's neck. 

"Okay, leg therapy begins here Tanuki. Try and put some weight on those wobbly legs." 

"That's easy for you to say." Kaoru scowled and before long the two were bickering as they made their way to Genzai-sensei's clinic. Kaoru, however, could not hold down the dread that wouldn't leave the bottom of her stomach. Something wasn't right, but as to what she couldn't place. _Stop that you dimwit. Ten minutes of freedom, and you're already becoming paranoid. Kaoru's eyes were fixed on her feet, as were Megumi's, because had either of them looked up, they would've noticed a small, rather petite man with flaming auburn hair and violet eyes awaiting their arrival. _


	3. Sooner Rather Than Later

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki 

AN: Yay! I'm finished with my finals and regents!  Blah…the plot thickens…muahahaha~! )…I've got a really sick mind…or so my friend said when I told her part of my plot idea…oh and the last chapter was actually chapter 1…but I called it chapter 2 by accident…this is the real chapter two…  Oh and to everyone who reviewed, domo arigato gozaimasu. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin…( wish I did…

Chapter Two: Sooner Rather Than Later

            Aoshi sat in blind rage. His jaw clenched and his teeth were grinding into each other, ice blue eyes twitched with anger. His large frame was bent over and his hands were balled up into fists. This was the way that Okina had found him once he himself had gotten out of his…bindings. The old man stood pensively. They had taken Sayo and Misao-chan from Aoshi and he silently agreed with Misao. It _would be most wise as to not tell him of her death. Okina sighed, to have lost such a promising slayer like Misao was a great loss for both the future of the Oniwabanshu and Aoshi's sanity. Silently, he approached Aoshi. _

            "Why did you let him in?" Okina stopped in his tracks, his okashira had begun to stand, his yukata covered in dried blood. 

            "I thought you and Himura were friends." Aoshi snorted.

            "Work partners, yes. Assassins, yes…" Aoshi walked towards the older man, eyes burning with something insane, and Okina swallowed in fear, "…but we have never been _friends_. We will _never become __friends either. Do you understand?" Without waiting for a reply, Aoshi stormed out of the now cleaned room. The four bloody corpses that had previously been strewn across the room had been removed and the floor cleaned, their bodies burned._

            To say that Aoshi was pissed was an understatement. He was livid with hatred and cursed the day he had pledged to make Himura's ideal world come true. _At least, he thought, _Misao is safe in __Kyoto___. Thank god I didn't let her come to Tokyo. Anger dissolved into relief, and he made his own quiet resolution. This time around, Aoshi would not blindly jump into Himura's ideal world. He would find a way to escape the cycle of abuse. Maybe then, he could stop meditating. Maybe then, he could find peace._

            Okina stared after Aoshi. He dared not ask Aoshi what his business was with Himura, but it could not be pleasant. He stared at the floor, it was spotless, shiny and clean. Aoshi had been drenched in dry blood. All he remembered was the cold, piercing voice of Himura before Misao had knocked him out. All he remembered was the utterance of the name "Takani Megumi." Perhaps, that was his only clue as to _who_ Himura was. Perhaps that was she was the key to finding a link to the underground network. Then, and only then, could the killing stop. Okina walked towards his fellow unconscious Oniwabanshu colleagues. It would be a while before they woke up. 

--------------

            Kenshin stared coldly at the cunning doctor and the stumbling woman who accompanied her. Sano had told him that the stumbling woman was illegally kidnapped from the hospital by Takani Megumi. To risk one's medical career like that, would have to mean that this girl was of some importance.  But what threat could a lame, stumbling woman be to him? Still, Aoshi wouldn't have lied, not after he killed those four bumbling idiots as well as threatened the safety of the old, gullible Okina. Thus, he was waiting for Megumi and her patient to reach the door to the Clinic, where he patiently waited.

            His fifth attempt at creating his ideal world was going to succeed. Kenshin would not allow _another_ failure but this time, it would be much more difficult. He hated the return of his soul. He had sold it to the devil over 400 years ago, and now he had been cursed to have it _come back. He fixed his golden eyes Takani Megumi and her…friend. The Rurouni would object to his plan, the plan to which the kitsune doctor was an essential part of. He then returned his attention to the two bickering women._

            They were halfway across the little concrete pathway which led up the hill-like lawn. Both women looked haggled and tired, and he decided that perhaps, he would gain their trust if the Rurouni greeted them instead. Yes, he mused, it would be much easier if a sweet, clueless, all the while 'lovable' idiot greeted them, than a cold, calculating vampire with an agenda of his own. 

Kaoru staggered with the help of Megumi to find a scruffy pair of over worn sneakers in the pathway of her vision. She was tired, angry and irritable; all she wanted to do was to plop into a bed and sleep. Why the hell did she ever want to know how to walk again? She didn't care, the only thing standing between her and a bed was the owner of these scruffy shoes. On the other hand, the feeling of dread had miraculously disappeared. 

            "Oh, excuse me, do you need anything?" Megumi's voice could now be heard asking this perpetrator in an unusually nice manner. Kaoru became suspicious. In the 5 years she had known Megumi, she had never been just plain outwardly _nice. _

            "Sessha was wondering if the job opening you posted was still available." Kaoru's eyes remained fixed on the speaker's shoes. Kaoru determined that while the speaker was a man, it was a womanly man. So Megumi was trying to hire someone? But what for? Did Megumi really think that this womanly man could stop her from escaping into the real world? Now that she was out of the hospital, she had free reign over her life, and it was going to start by getting the hell out of Japan. 

            "Oh yes, the job is still open! Come inside and we'll talk more." Megumi motioned towards the clinic door and readjusted her grip around Kaoru's waist. "For starters, you can carry her in." Kaoru snapped her head up and glared at Megumi, ignoring Kenshin.

            "I don't need to be carried." 

            "Fine, we'll walk in, and you can crawl your way in from here." Kaoru fumed. _If I could, I'd crawl away from here. Kaoru opened her mouth, ready to rebuke the kitsune doctor._

            "Maa maa…It's no trouble." That was all Kaoru heard before she was lifted bride style by the womanly man. _Oh how humiliating. Kaoru was mortified, here she was, a grown woman at age 25 being carried by a he/she. Decidedly she fixed her glare at her carrier. He had a large bandage over his left cheek and long auburn hair was accented with deep plum colored eyes. His face was sharply defined, yet rounded at the edges, and his skin was a milky white. __Just my luck, the first guy I meet in 7 years is prettier than I am. _

            Kenshin fidgeted, she didn't look happy and under her critical stare he felt inferior. Was he that transparent? Did the Battousai make things too obvious? Was it that apparent that he wanted nothing more than to run away from here and never return? The petite girl then turned her gaze and sulked. He was relieved. 

            "I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name." Kenshin looked over to the amused doctor and blushed.

            "My name is Himura Shinta."

            Kaoru snorted. Even his name was girly. Then Megumi opened the door and led them both inside.

            Sanosuke watched silently as the Rurouni was led inside the clinic.  He hated how his master was reduced to this bumbling idiot, a mere shadow of the vampire. Had the girl glared at the Battousai…hah…the Battousai would've glared back, not fidget like a wimp. He would find a way to restore his master to his former glory. The Rurouni was a threat, because, while he was generally obedient, Sanosuke knew it was only a matter of time before he would rebel. A rebellion would result in setbacks. And while in the past, setbacks were trivial, now they were a hindrance. With both Hajime Saitou and Yukishiro Enishi on the loose, more and more of their armies were getting staked or fried. And then there was Shishio Makoto. The rouge slayer who killed everyone and anyone, regardless of whether they were vampire or human, in times like these, the Rurouni was not needed.    

            However, his master would be displeased with him if he voiced these opinions and he turned on his heel. Katsu and Tae were working on finding new targets, so it would be a while before he could get any action, and he sighed. He might as well head back towards the hospital and put those miserable patients out of their pain. 

-------------

            Tae sighed as she read the red letter again. A red letter could only mean that they were back to the underground wars between different aspiring vampires. Declaration of war had been pronounced by the Battousai, and her master had stated "All those who think to challenge me, do so." The first reply was from Shogo Amakusa, and he had been slaughtered immediately. Here in her hands lay the second reply, from Jineh and it was her duty to find out all she could about this man. 

            She was not concerned about her master's skills. Of course he could beat Jineh. What concerned Sekihara Tae was the woman in the picture that belonged to Saitou. That wretched man would come back to the Akabeko though. Once you found a willing information source, you were likely to come back. By then, perhaps her master would allow her to poison his soba. However, until then, she was stuck in a rut. With the lunch rush hour gone, Tae plopped into one of the nice wooden chairs. She'd have to send Katsu news before sunset, which was only a few hours away. 

            _Jingle Jingle_

            Tae groaned as she put on a cheerful face to face her new customer.

            "Irraishimase!" She bowed and upon standing upright again, noticed her customer to be none other than Yukishiro Enishi. Tae wanted to laugh. Two slayers in one day, and for this one, she did have the permission to poison. She reached into her apron pocket and fingered the small bottle of clear, odorless poison and with a small smile, led him to a table.

            Yukishiro Enishi looked through wary turquoise eyes at his waitress, sensing was not right about her. Perhaps it was the way she squinted all the time. It reminded him of his new partner. His partner would always squint to hide those hideous yellow eyes. Removing his mauve colored sunglasses, he massaged the bridge of his nose and his white hair fell in front of his in a mess. Another day of searching for a trace of the Battousai had ended the same way it always did. It had ended in complete and utter failure. Whenever he found a trail, a glimmer of hope, the Battousai would send one of an infinite number of minions to snuff it out. 

            Tsubame treaded quietly to silent and unhappy customer, cowering behind her tray. Yahiko was outside, getting rid of the garbage and Tae was…she didn't want to think about what Tae was doing. She could feel the hairs on her neck rise as she walked closer to the man. 

            "Do you know what you want to order?" 

            Enishi snapped out of his reverie to stare at the little girl. She had big brown eyes and short hair, and would probably someday grow to be very pretty. However, not as pretty as his oneechan, no one could ever be as pretty as his oneechan. Perhaps the only person that was pretty enough was Megumi-san, the person who had taken him in after his oneechan died. He would perform his jinchuu upon the Battousai to avenge both him and Megumi-san. 

            "Um, sir?" Enishi snapped out of his second reverie and smiled. Tsubame however wanted to run. To run away from this crazy old man with a freaky smile, to run away from the Akabeko. 

            "No, but I'll be back…sooner or later. Ja." 

            From the back room, Tae fumed as Tsubame let Enishi leave. 

--------------

Kaoru frowned as Megumi had 'Shinta' place her into a room with a small cot, window and books. It was like being in the hospital again. Kaoru silently seethed her hate, she was caged again. Actually the hospital was a lot _better_. She had moved from one prison to another. 

            "Well, we'll leave you to get acquainted with your new room. Have fun." Megumi nearly flinched at the pure hate in Kaoru's glare which was aimed directly at her. 

            With pure amusement, the Battousai's gaze flickered from the lame, hateful patient and the insecure, anxious doctor. He had no work to do as their relationship was already going downhill. He was just a catalyst and would help them hate each other faster. He watched the situation from the Rurouni's eyes and as the Rurouni left the room along with Megumi. 

_Stop it, stop thinking like that!_

Kenshin ignored the Rurouni's pleading and shoved him out of the way. He looked at the inside of the clinic which had once been the headquarters of those who opposed him. He now had free access into the clinic anytime he wanted. 

"So, you want this job right?" As 'Shinta' smiled, Megumi felt uneasy. His face had become more angular and his skin had become paler than she thought was possible. As he opened his eyes to look her straight in the eyes, she felt her throat go dry. They were a bright golden color that she remembered oh so very well. 

A scream erupted through the Genzai Medical Clinic. 


	4. Gifts of a Dead Woman

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki 

Chapter Three: Gifts of a Dead Woman

A scream erupted through the Genzai Medical Clinic. 

            Megumi and Kenshin whipped their head around towards the small room where Kaoru resided. Without a second thought, Megumi ran towards her patient's room while Kenshin glared, before quickly following. Damn bitch. He was close to getting Megumi under his control again, not that she'd remember anything now. Stupid humans only remember what they want to remember, he smirked. For a doctor, Megumi was painfully unaware of her own trauma and selective memory. 

            He walked briskly to Kaoru's room, this was getting much more complicated than he would like. He peered inside the room to see the patient curled up in a fetal position, screaming and vomiting. They had left her alone for less than five minutes, and already she was causing him trouble. Any former thought that she could be of any use flew out the window and Kenshin frowned.  He needed to speak with his shishou. 

            "Kaoru…Kaoru…what's wrong?" Megumi wanted to smack herself, how could Kaoru answer, when all she could do was scream? Then as abruptly as she started, she stopped. 

            "Kaoru, Kaoru, are you okay? What happened? What did-" Megumi licked her lips, she nearly forgot that Shinta was with them and Shinta didn't need to know that Kaoru saw visions. "I'll be right back." Megumi hurried out of the small stuffy room and into the clinic. 

            "Shinta? Shinta?" She looked around, the redhead was no where to be found. Furrowing her eyes in suspicion, she concluded that he must have left after hearing Kaoru scream. She'd probably scared off her first possible job applicant and with good reason. Hurrying her steps, she walked back into Kaoru's room. Kaoru had sat up and was 'zoning' out, and with her past experience with Tomoe, 'zoning out' was never a good sign. 

            She knelt onto the green carpet and stared up at Kaoru. "What did you see?"

            "I saw through the eyes of death." Kaoru's lips were in a firm line and she turned to look at Megumi, who inwardly shuddered but willed herself to ask her next question.

            "What happened?" Kaoru stared at Megumi, her azure eyes were cold and Megumi noted how they seemed to see right through her.

            "I died." 

--------------

            Seta Soujiro frowned as he stared at the black and white squares in front of him. He was never good at chess; it required too much thought and why think when your place was to serve your master? Nevertheless, Misao had wished to play chess, in order to 'impress her Aoshi-sama'. They were in one of Tokyo's many parks, playing a game of chess and to Soujiro's dismay; he was losing for the 10th time. 

            "Would you sit still? I can't concentrate with you all jumpy." He smiled a strained smile as Misao hung upside down from the tree.

           "No no no no- I must be able to think and I think best when there is blood in my head." She smiled a half smile closed her eyes. Soujiro scowled, he knew exactly what she was thinking about. She was thinking about how to convert her 'Aoshi-sama'. Oh how he hated Aoshi Shinomori. He looked at his pieces and moved his rook to capture Misao's knight. 

            "Your turn." Misao smiled as she flipped down into the bench across from him. It was clear she wasn't happy losing her knight, and with a childlike innocence, she boldly moved her queen forward.

            "Checkmate." Misao was happy again as she danced around Soujiro, who slumped forward in defeat. If he were to beat her in the mental field, perhaps then, he would be able to gain her respect, but alas, Soujiro was a simple minded vampire and Misao was undeniably very clever. He fondly remembered the words of his…friend Yumi. "He's not bright but he'll get the job done." 

            "Ne, Sou-chan, your not very good at chess are you?" 

            "No, Misao-san, I'm not." 

            "Aoshi-sama is, he always beat me. Hee hee." With that she climbed up the tree again in her T-shirt and capris, looking like a scruffy boy instead of a girl. Soujiro clenched his teeth and smiled again. He was sick of hearing about her 'Aoshi-sama', and he was sick of hearing how great this Aoshi was at everything. For the first time since his conversion, Soujiro felt the pang of jealousy, anger and the utter feeling of being weak. How he hated being weak. 

            "Ne, Smiley-" Soujiro looked up to see Sanosuke, who was decked out in his doctor scrubs and a giant smile on his face, "I got an idea you just might like." 

            "Sou ka?" Soujiro smiled, an idea he had been entertaining in his head was to rip out Aoshi's throat in a bloody mess, but he highly doubted that was what Sano had in mind.

            "How would you like to go on an old fashioned massacre? Like in the good old days." Soujiro smiled. In a massacre, no one would really blame him for killing Aoshi, would they? 

            "Honto ni? Master has allowed it?" Sano shrugged his shoulders.

            "He's been preoccupied. Perhaps a bloodbath would offer some fun, maybe send that Rurouni into hiding for a while in his guilt." They both snickered while a now serious Misao sat above them. A massacre would be fun, but would Aoshi be happy with her? They didn't even have Master's permission. Besides, she hadn't been part of a massacre yet, and she would dearly like to. 

            "Are you sure that's a good idea? Last time you did something without Master knowing, he was very…angry." Sano fidgeted before giving a cold glare.

            "Let me know your answer later. I've got 'patients' to attend to." Sano strolled down the street, leaving behind a nonplussed Soujiro and a disturbed Misao. However, unknown to them, he was pissed. Soujiro wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't stupid either and he had seen through his act, and only other person left was Katsu, good old dependable Katsu. With a renewed spring in his step, Sano headed toward Tokyo's Mainichi Shinbun

            "Ne, Sou-chan…"  
            "Aa?" Soujiro noticed her voice was frigid and stern, something he hadn't seen before.

            "I'm hungry. Let's go for a bite to eat."

            "Where?" Soujiro was now concerned, they had 'eaten' a pedestrian an hour ago. 

            "Let's go to the Aoiya. I hear the owner's yummy." 

--------------

            Kenshin stormed into the fiery depths of hell. His shishou was waiting for him at the 13th ring of hell, and he was currently making his way through Ring number 8. The ring of people who died for love, and he always hated passing through this ring, because every time he passed through he would see the ghost of Tomoe Yukishiro. The woman whose dying words were "I give you the gift of a soul." If his soul was a gift, he wanted to return it.  And he hated how her ghostly eyes would look at him, disappointment gleaming because he was still the way he was. 

            She was staring at him now, eyes sad as she sat and there staring at him, and how he paid no attention to her. She just sat there to rot in the whirlwind of hell. Thankfully, he was spared any word of her pitiful advice (like last time) and he proceeded to the 9th ring of hell. Gate after gate one thought plagued his head. Why did he feel guilt every time he passed through the 8th ring? Perhaps because he had a soul living inside him, however, deep down, he knew that wasn't true. He felt guilt before killing her. All the words of love he had whispered weren't all lies. 

            Passing the 11th ring, Kenshin glared at nothing in particular. He would erase this soul, which only intensified feelings of guilt. He would get rid of these feelings of guilt as well. Kenshin had no room in his thoughts for guilt, he needed to be on task, and his task was to kill the one Tomoe had bestowed her other gift to. When he got rid of Tomoe's last legacy, only then could he be free. 

            Kenshin paused a moment in front of the doorway to the 13th ring of hell, his home and the home of his shishou. Gathering his wits, he shoved the door open and bowed. Sitting upon his throne, clad in a white mantle and drinking a cup of sake, was his shishou, Satan or Hiko Seiijuro the 13th. 

            "Baka deshi, I already know why you are here."

            "Then tell me the answer you goddamn bastard." Hiko flipped his hair out of his eyes and smiled. 

            "But that wouldn't be fun. I wouldn't get to watch you suffer."

            "I'm not laughing." Hiko frowned, his baka deshi was tense and if it were 50 years earlier, he might be able to read Kenshin's mind. Alas, in the last 50 years, he learned to block out his thoughts and Hiko smiled. His baka deshi was nervous; this was his nth attempt at taking over the living realm and probably his closest to success. Except for the fact that neither Kenshin, nor the rouge demon hunters who were against him, had found the one with the gift; that is, until today. Both parties had found her on the same day only his baka deshi was too clueless to see that. 

            "I never said you had to laugh." Hiko's deep baritone rumbled and Kenshin's hands balled into fists.

            "We had a deal. I'll help you invade heaven, if you help me get the living realm." Kenshin watched smugly as Hiko fidgeted. If he took the living realm, then Hiko would have two realms out of the three and sooner or later, all three realms. 

            "She's more useful than you think. If you play your cards right, their downfall and you're rise to glory is guaranteed. And tell Chicken head that a massacre is out of the question." 

            Kenshin narrowed his eyes. What was Sano thinking? And what was Hiko drinking? How could a lame, screaming child be the key to taking over the realm of the living? 

            "I'm drinking very nice sake and the Fates have told me this. Do not take them lightly." Flustered, Kenshin stormed out to find Sano.

--------------

            A tired Enishi shoved a couple of yen into the taxi driver's grubby hands and got out of the taxi. He was in front of the clinic, a place he hadn't been to in weeks, and he was already thinking of an excuse to tell Megumi. However, no words could come to his mind. What would he tell her? That he was going to follow his sister's footsteps and try to kill Battousai? Deciding that he would face the music like a brave man, he opened the door. Immediately, he didn't like the tone or feel of his home. It was dark inside, even though it was only four thirty. 

            "Tadaima." His slightly nasal voice rang throughout the clinic and he received a muffled reply.

            "Okaeri nasai! I'm in the back storage room!" Enishi frowned. The back storage room was his room. What was she doing in his room? He threw down his sword from his back and took long strides towards his room. The door had been already open and Megumi sat tiredly in his chair, and his turquoise eyes widened as he realized a woman was sleeping in his bed, her face was oddly familiar.

            "Megumi-san, who is that?" 

            "Where have you been for the last three weeks? Your school called, you haven't shown up for the five months. Tomoe wouldn't like that you're a 20 year old, college dropout. And she's a …friend of mine." 

            "Tomoe wouldn't like that you're hosting teenage fugitive girls and then lie that they're your friend. I've been busy."

            "She's 25, older than you, and how busy?"

            "Very busy." Megumi sighed. Enishi had been…distant lately. She didn't question it that often, deep down, she already knew that he was a vigilante, and that for housing one, she could be arrested. Still, for both their sanity, she pretended she didn't know. 

            "Alright. So how'd you know she was a fugitive? She doesn't even know she's a fugitive." 

            "I have my sources." Enishi looked at the sleeping Kaoru, and was relieved. Five months of searching for her and Battousai at the same time drained him. He had found the world's savior and she would finish what his sister couldn't.

            "She's not Tomoe. It wouldn't be wise to even try." Enishi set his wounded and betrayed eyes upon the person he was closest to, after his sister. 

            "How can you say that? Tomoe passed on the gift to her, how could she not be ready?" 

            "Even Tomoe can make mistakes." Megumi sighed and replaced the wet towel on Kaoru's forehead and tried her best to ignore Enishi's accusing stares. "I'm going to head down to the hospital; my shift is in an hour. If a man named Shinta comes, tell him I'm sorry; he can have the job and take care of Kaoru's fever." Without a word, Enishi nodded and sat where Megumi used to sit and stared at the girl sleeping in front of him.

            Kaoru lay nervously on her bed. She had woken up sometime in the middle of their conversation and decided to keep quiet about it. She was unsure of what to think. Some woman named Tomoe had given her a 'gift', and she was a fugitive. Her day couldn't get any worse. And yet, her mind kept trailing back to her vision of her own death. The sickening feeling of dread at the bottom of her killer's stomach as he stabbed her to death hadn't gone away. Kaoru feared that it would never go away. Kaoru had seen many things in her visions for the last five years, and they'd all come true. So obviously, she was going to die if she stayed here. More than ever, Kaoru felt the need to leave Japan. 

--------------

Myoujin Yahiko didn't like his boss. He didn't like anything about his life except that Tsubame was in it. So it was quite normal to see a grumpy Yahiko dumping out the Akabeko's garbage, while muttering things 10 year old boys should not be muttering. Today, however, had been especially bad. Stupid Katsu showed up, and when Katsu shows up, it usually meant a pissed Tae, which in turn meant he'd get no food. Just was in that incredibly stupid letter anyway? He was always showing up with those red letters, so, Yahiko figured they were bills. Tae was always complaining about how she 'didn't have enough blood to keep her damn boss happy'.  What else could she be talking about? Like the owner of the Akabeko would drink blood, there were no such things as vampires.

            So then, imagine his delight to find that Tae, in her hurry had thrown out the letter into the garbage instead of burning it, like she usually did. After making sure that no one was around, he hastily tore open the letter. 

            He didn't notice that Tae was looking right at him through the window. Her eyes were no longer squinting, they were open in their golden fury, and behind her was an unconscious Tsubame. All Myoujin Yahiko knew was that he had to get away from the Akabeko, he and Tsubame both needed to get far away

            Tae looked on as he stuffed the letter into his pocket and shoved the rest of the garbage into the dump. And she smiled a feral smile as he looked up and saw her looking at him. That stricken face was going to be the last face he ever wore before she ripped out his throat. Laughing maniacally, she watched as he tore down the street, giving him a 10-second start. 

            And watching her, was another man with golden eyes, snuffing out his cigarette, he figured he'd go and save that ahou of a boy and take him in. He had a good eye for possible vigilantes against the growing vampire population. That boy had the same look that Enishi Yukishiro had 5 years prior. He walked leisurely into the kitchen of the Akabeko. Noting Tsubame's prone figure, he snorted. She wasn't worth his time, Tae wouldn't kill this little girl, after all even half vampires had bills to pay and free work wasn't something Tae was about to give up. Sauntering out of the kitchen, he lit another cigarette and headed after the crazed restaurant owner.  Mibu's wolf was back in business. 

AN: Thanky to all those who have reviewed so far ^^ and sorry it took me forever to post this. High school isn't all that great when your teachers are demanding hogs... Feedback please…and please be nice but in a constructive way ^^


	5. Stay

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter Four: Stay

            "You can wake up now." His soft voice made her insides freeze and Kaoru lay still, fearing to move.

            "You're a horrible actress. The dead could feign sleep better than you. So just wake up. It'll make my job easier." Kaoru opened her eyes and frowned as she looked at the white ceiling, marred with stains of an unknown, dark substance. She didn't bother to look at him. She'd moved from an annoying kitsune, to an annoying, nasal boy five years younger than her. Kaoru decided that she needed better friends. She didn't even want to acknowledge his…bright orange pants in her peripheral vision. With that note, she rolled onto her side, her back facing Enishi. 

            "Now that's not very nice." Enishi's voice was deadpan, as was his face. 

            "Shove off asshole." 

            Enishi frowned. She might have inherited Tomoe's gift, but she was nothing like Tomoe. She was rude, and incredibly touchy. Her voice wasn't nearly as calm, warm or soothing as Tomoe's; it was hard, biting and edged with sarcasm. He stared at the back of Kaoru's head; her thick inky black hair spilled over edge of the bed. He grimaced, she'd shed numerous strands of hair all around his room AND it would be easy for enemies to use it as a weapon against her. Reaching out, Enishi grabbed a handful and lifted her head off the bed. Crouching down he met Kaoru face to face. 

            "This hair will have to go." With that, he reached for the tanto (dagger) in his boot, ready to chop off all her hair until it was just as short as a little boy's. That was, until a flying fist connected with his face and therefore, he cut her a pair of chin length bangs. 

            "Don't touch my hair, bastard." She glared as he stood up to his full height of 5 feet 9 inches, and spat out blood from his mouth. Towering over her diminutive frame, he snarled.

            "Bitch." He glared at her, and stumbled. Kaoru no longer sat there, as she was replaced by a demure young woman, crying. And in an instant from which she came, she was gone and all that remained was a disgruntled tanuki and a shaken, but angry Enishi. Full of hatred and anger, Enishi gritted his teeth. He wouldn't stand for such mind tricks played by a lame, worthless bitch. 

            In a rage, he hacked her hair off in one swoop, and stormed out of the clinic. Kaoru sat still; her hair fell a little past her shoulder blade, where as before, it had gone past her waist. More than ever, she wanted to get out of the clinic. 

--------------

            Sagara Sanosuke was not an easy man to find. Takani Megumi learned this very very quickly. She also learned that in her 12 hour absence, over thirty of the seventy patients were dead. It was unheard of. This was a palliative care hospital, where they made it easier for those who were going to die in their last days or months, not kill them. Sure, it was rare for a day to go by when no one died, but 31 people in one day? She had been sure, almost absolutely positive that a certain, dirty, chicken head was the root of all this. Thus, she went to seek him out. 

            That had been 3 hours ago. She had checked all ten floors, and all rooms in all ten floors while at the same time treating patients. However, no matter where she went, he was not there and some places she left, someone died. Not ten minutes ago, she had visited a sickly boy named Okita Soushi, and now, Kamatari had pronounced him dead. This looked bad for her career as well. It looked rather suspicious that patients she treated were dying minutes after she treated them.

            She couldn't do her job; obviously whomever she treated might die earlier than they wanted. She couldn't find Sagara Sanosuke, and she really wanted to do was to return to the clinic, Kaoru had seen her own death, which usually wasn't a very good sign. She leaned against the wall before sliding down onto the floor, her knees pulled up to her chin as she buried her face into her hands. Stress had started to get to her. With Enishi missing for a few months, a lame Kaoru that needed protection, and the economic difficulties of keeping a clinic open, all she wanted to do was cry. However, she just removed her face from her hands, rubbed her eyes and went on looking for Sagara Sanosuke. She wasn't even sure if he was behind all of this, however, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was, and that _he_ knew something she didn't. 

Watching her from the shadows, Sano stood fascinated. He had been filled with disgust when he thought she was crying, but she hadn't. She was different than Sayo, who had come crying to him every time Aoshi had been cold to her. Megumi hadn't even wept a tear and he smirked. She wouldn't find him, he could guarantee that, he wouldn't be found unless he wanted to be found. Sano's smirk fell off his face. If Takani Megumi was here at the hospital, that means she had left that other girl alone.

            "Sanosuke, What the fucking hell did you think you were going to do?" Sano tensed up and turned around to see the angry face of the only individual that could find him. 

            "Kenshin-" Sano didn't get to say anymore as Kenshin picked him up by the collar and slammed him against the wall. 

            "I heard about your 'massacre' idea, and let me tell you something idiot. I don't need to be found by the fucking police or the fucking slayers just yet. When I say you can, by all means, suck the blood out of these bastards until there isn't any left. But only when _I_ say you can. Is that clear?" 

            "Yes-" Sano clenched his aching neck, "Crystal clear. But did ya have to slam me that hard?"

            "I don't know," Kenshin smirked, and knelt down before Sano, "I know you don't like the Rurouni, but _never_ doubt me again. And you can do whatever you want with Takani; just get your job done." 

            Sano merely nodded and got up before dusting himself off, towering over Kenshin, who was already halfway down the hall

            "Oi, Kenshin-" Kenshin's figure stopped walking and tilted an ear, "She's alone, Takani left her alone in the clinic." 

--------------

            Yahiko ran, it didn't matter where, he just ran. The crowd was moving against him and in the corner of his mind; he realized that he had left Tsubame behind. He couldn't run back to save her, if he did, they'd both die. Tae wouldn't kill Tsubame; Tsubame didn't ever cause trouble, so there wouldn't be a reason to. The burning pain from his feet crawled up his leg and his lungs were sore from the air rapidly pumping in and out of his lungs. 

            To say that he was tired was an understatement. He was in a place he didn't know, in a district of town he didn't know, and Tae was chasing him down like she wasn't even tired. Then again, Tae wasn't even human anymore; she probably wasn't tired at all. Yahiko stopped for a moment and looked around, it was a quiet suburban area, so perhaps if he could hide in someone's house… It didn't matter who, as long as he could stay at someone's house. 

            Yahiko then started to run again, he couldn't see Tae but that didn't matter. He knew she was there. Then, like a light at the end of a tunnel, he saw an open door to a doctor's clinic. Yahiko smiled deliriously in relief. A doctor would surely help him, so he ran in and slammed the door behind him, locking it. Leaning against the door, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the floor, sweat pouring from his face as his raggedly shirt and jeans clung to him uncomfortably. Getting up, he peered outside the window, instead of Tae's face he saw a man dressed in a police uniform smoking and holding a sword over his shoulder. He stared at this policeman with wide eyed fear and relief. Had he seen him run into a doctor's clinic with no visible injuries? Would he bring him back to the Akabeko, where Tae would shred him to pieces? He watched petrified as the policeman began to walk away.

            After he had lost view of the policeman, Yahiko watched as a small piece of paper was slid through the mail slot in the door. Cautiously, he picked it up and stuck it in his pockets before peeking through the mail slot. And yet another scream erupted through the Genzai Medical Clinic. 

            "I'm watching you. The minute you step out of that building, I will hunt you down brat, and don't think I won't. And you little Tsubame friend, don't think for a minute that I won't kill her. I will, so don't go spreading any little secrets-" Tae's eyes penetrated through his being as she slammed the slot in his face, letter forgotten, he lay on the floor panting.

            "If you're looking for a place to stay, you'd better leave." He turned around to see a woman, crawling her way towards him. "Aw, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault I can't walk." 

            "Che, it's not like I care. You're just a busu anyway, and I'm staying right here." Kaoru frowned, and sat upright, glaring up at the kid.

            "Listen brat, I'm not a busu and if you don't wanna end up like me, get the hell out of here." 

            "What do you mean end up like you? If you wanna end up like me, you won't go outside." Yahiko fumed, he'd do anything to be invalid. That way he wouldn't have to face Tae again. 

            Kaoru stared at the scruffy boy. His hair was unruly, skin tanned and a lanky build. He had dark chocolate eyes and it seemed as if he was from the poorer parts of town by his tattered clothing.

            "Fine, you can stay," Kaoru feigned annoyance, she was tired of being alone, and this little boy would keep her company, "Just help me back to my room."

            "Busu, go help yourself, you crawled your way here didn't you?" 

            Kaoru face faulted and began to regret her decision and Saitoh's letter lay forgotten in Yahiko's pocket.

--------------

            Saitoh frowned. He was no closer to finding that Kamiya Kaoru than he was before. He didn't have a single clue as to her whereabouts other than that she was still in Tokyo. Like that helped him, there were millions of people in Tokyo, what was he supposed to do? Knock on every door? 

            The smoky air of bar filled his nostrils as he looked at his watch. Enishi was late and Saitoh began to wonder if it was a wise decision to hire that psychopath. For a twenty-year old, Enishi was highly immature, mentally unstable, and over zealous, but he was good. He'd never seen someone his age take down forty vampires in three nights. Still, the boy had a lot of growing up to do. Seconds later, Enishi stormed into the bar, looked around dazedly and plopped down next to Saitoh.  

            "I found her." Saitoh snuffed out his cigarette and eyed the distraught Enishi.

            "And?"

            "And she's worthless. Can't walk, and Megumi doesn't think she can handle it. _I don't think she can handle it.  I _KNOW_ she can't." Enishi waved his hand to the bartender, ordering his usual vodka._

            "Doesn't matter if she can or can't," Saitou pulled out another cigarette and lit it, "If she can, we'll recruit her. If she can't, we'll kill her. Simple as that, I don't care. As long as Battousai is dead." 

            Enishi cocked a glance at the older man before his shot of vodka. "Che, then what, we'd be without a single clue as to what Battousai's doing." 

            "Not really. I've found another useful vampire to blackmail."

            "And who would that be?"

            "Sekihara Tae."

            "The restaurant owner?" Enishi frowned, he had went there earlier. If Tae was a supporter of Battousai, she could've killed him. 

            "Yeah, she's Battousai's information leak."

            "Did you leak anything to her?"

            "Nothing important." Saitoh snarled. _I only leaked that Kamiya Kaoru existed to them. Enishi stared at his partner before turning around the swivel chair and leaning on the bar. _

            "Still... you didn't tell me that Kamiya Kaoru was 5 years older than me."

            "Does it make a difference?" 

            "Yeah, she's hot." Saitoh snorted and Enishi grinned before putting on a mask of indifference. "but not as pretty as 'neesan was." Saitoh chuckled. He has seen that one coming. 

--------------

            Kenshin knocked on the door. Kamiya Kaoru was alone, and this was his chance to get rid of the threat she posed.  

            "Oi Yahiko! Get the door you brat!" Kenshin frowned as he heard a familiar shriek and hastily put on a smile as a scruffy young boy opened the door. Kaoru frowned as she stared at him. He seemed different, his face was even more angular than before, and he didn't seem so womanly. 

            "Ah- Himura-san!" Kenshin was taken back. Before, he had the impression she hated him. "Gomen about earlier, are you looking for Megumi?" 

            "Aa…but if she isn't here…" Kenshin looked down at the little boy who seemed a little leery of him, and wondered when he came about, since he had just left a couple of hours ago. This little boy had ruined whatever chance to dispose of her and he cursed himself for not getting there earlier. 

            "You can stay." He then looked to the lame woman who sat on the floor, brightly smiling back up at him. He smiled back. _Alright, I'll stay._

_            But you'll be sorry that I did._

AN: ahhh sorry it took me so long to put this out but…gahhh I've twisted my ankle, can't walk, got addicted to playing FFIX and FFVIII, had my report to finish, failed math class T-T and over all got banned from mah comp for a while. T-T

Redroseprincess678- yes…I will keep writing ) I have evil ideas I must write down

Kitsune- puah- I will… I will and then I'll whack you on school Monday!

aga_xris- I like cliff hangers. Expect more…besides…sessha couldn't think of anything more to write… 

Isis 13- heh…added some more Saitoh in there and there'll be more of him. He's just too cool to leave out. 

Omochi- ^^…hopefully I'll update sooner than I did last time…


	6. Is that so

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter Five: Is that so?

            Misao was happy. Perhaps, Soujiro mused, a little _too_ happy. She was drawing too much attention to herself. Soujiro kept a neutral face as he watched her skip merrily on the sidewalk, arms wide and singing very loudly. They were trudging their way to the Aoiya, and Soujiro frowned. Misao had said she wanted to eat the owner of the Aoiya, who he assumed to be Aoshi. Aoshi was in Tokyo. Aoiya was in Kyoto. So if Misao wanted Aoshi, why the hell were they going to Kyoto? Soujiro frowned as his head started to hurt. No matter how hard he tried, the simple Tenken vampire couldn't seem to hack into the mind of Makimachi Misao.

            Up ahead and unaware of Soujiro's ponderings, skipped a euphoric Misao. Laughing and singing to herself, wicked thoughts crept into her head. She was proud of her idea, and she'd have to thank Sano later. _A massacre, what a lovely concept, Aoshi-sama…A massacre of the many Aoshi-samas!_ However, she needed to be at the Aoiya. That would be the only way her demented plan would work. She would call Aoshi-sama, tell him there was trouble in Kyoto and like a fool he would come rushing to her rescue. Then the fun would begin. She'd convert Aoshi-sama! 

            "Sou-kun!"

            "Hai, Misao-chan?" Soujiro smiled as she stopped her strange, childlike behavior as she stood there staring at the concrete. 

            "How was I made?" Soujiro face faulted. This was far from the birds and the bees talk of humans, yet still just as embarrassing. "Look at Sou-kun! Sou-kun is all white!" _Duh, _Soujiro thought_ I have no blood pumping in my body. _

            "Master decided to make you a vampire. He killed you, you drank his blood and then you became our Misao." 

            "Is that so…" Misao looked thoughtful, she knew Soujiro wasn't telling the whole truth, but what did it matter? As long as she had Aoshi, nothing else mattered. She stared in front of her, Kyoto was to the west of Tokyo, and she took off running. Soujiro would catch up, he wasn't Tenken for nothing. 

            Across the street, Aoshi frowned. An extremely genki girl was being chased by the Tenken.  A girl that oddly reminded him of Makimachi Misao, and now Aoshi was worried. That girl couldn't have been Misao. He'd left Misao in Kyoto where it was safe, where his influence in the underground world wouldn't harm her; where she wouldn't find out that her Aoshi-sama was a fraud. 

            He sighed, the only reason he was out of Oniwabanshu HQ was to pick up some medicine for Okina and now he was seeing things. Still, he couldn't push that image out of his mind. Flipping out his cell phone, he punched in the numbers for the Aoiya. 

            _Ring…_

_            Ring…_

_            Ring…_

_            Click._

            "Hello?" Aoshi smiled in relief, it was Shiro. They were safe.

            "Shiro, it's me." 

            "…Aoshi-sama, how are things in Tokyo?" Aoshi inwardly grimaced. Shiro tended to babble.

            "They're…fine, Is Misao there?" Aoshi's eyebrows furrowed together as the garrulous Shiro said nothing.  "Shiro? Is Misao there?" Dread crept under his skin and his throat became dry.

            "Gomen nasai, Okashira. She's been missing for a year…Okashira? Okashira-"

            Aoshi didn't hear him as his cell phone slipped from his fingers, shattering on the concrete. 

-------------

            Megumi's heels clicked down the busy halls of the hospital. After a four and a half hour search for that damned rooster, all she found was nothing and all she earned was a pair of aching feet. Needless to say, she was in a sour mood. She knew he was in this damned hospital, she had checked the computers- he was scheduled to be on shift right now. 

            Stepping into the elevator, Megumi slipped off the accursed heels, desperately wishing for a tub of hot water. With a sigh of relief, she laid her head against the paneling of the elevator wall and closed her eyes. She didn't care who else was in the elevator, or who she offended by taking off her shoes. Her feet hurt. 

            "Damn, I didn't know how bad women's feet smell. It's almost as bad as mine."  Megumi opened her eyes to find a tall rooster headed nurse. Four and a half hours of searching, and NOW she finds him? She wanted to laugh, but she couldn't so she settled for flipping him off instead.

            "Shut up and fuck off." Sano eyed her carefully with an amused glint in his eyes. 

            "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Megumi rolled her eyes and snorted.

            "Whatever." She reached out in front of her and hit the button for the first floor. 

            "Would you kiss me with that mouth?" Megumi turned her head sharply towards the grinning Sano and frowned. He was dirty, a slob and foul mouthed. She burst out laughing. 

            "Not if you were the last man on earth." Sano's smile widened even further hiding his wounded pride. 

            "Is that so…" He glanced over towards the control panel of the elevator. They were on the third floor, and he figured he hand enough time. He sauntered over to the suspicious doctor. 

            Megumi glared suspiciously at the male nurse. All traces of that huge goofy grin were gone, and all that was left was a very serious rooster head. He placed his large hands on her shoulders and roughly bit her lower lip, drawing blood. 

            "Screw foreplay." 

--------------

            Kaoru stared at her reflection in her handheld mirror. Her beautiful hair had been mercilessly hacked off by that nasal boy. It looked odd to keep her hair down seeing as the frayed ends were uneven. She unhappily swept up her hair into a high ponytail, much like the one she had seen on Shinta. 

            Shinta was odd, extremely odd. Kaoru couldn't remember a time when she ever met a Japanese man with flaming auburn hair. Or one that still spoke in archaic speech. There were times when she felt nauseous or around him and others where she felt just fine. Not only that, the man wore pink. That meant he was either extremely secure about his masculinity or he was gay. 

            But that wasn't what was most odd about Himura Shinta. _Himura Shinta is not human. Kaoru had concluded this after he had helped her up.  His hands had been ice cold, and he was unbelievably pale. That and she couldn't feel his heartbeat when he had carried her into nasal boy's room. He walked so softly that she couldn't hear when he was outside the room. He'd been here for four hours, as had that Yahiko boy. _

            Yahiko had taken an immediate liking to the red haired man and an immediate dislike for her. Whatever the reasons for his unexplained hate towards her, she didn't like him either. It wasn't her fault; some people just didn't get along. 

            "That hairstyle suits you Kaoru-dono." Kaoru felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise as she turned to look at Shinta. He stood in the doorway with a disarming smile on his face. 

            "It looks better on you." 

            "I didn't know you noticed my hair." Kaoru flushed; a healthy pink glow on her face. Kenshin unknowingly licked his lips. The blood was rushing through the capillaries in her face in mass quantities. 

            "It's hard not to notice. It's flaming red." Kenshin snapped out of his reverie and genuinely smiled. 

            "True," he placed a cold calloused hand upon her forehead, "You still have a fever, so I'll get you some medicine." Kaoru nodded dumbly, wondering how he could tell she had a fever if his hands were freezing cold. 

            Kenshin sauntered down the hallway and into the kitchen, his face slowly becoming more and more angular. His shishou said she'd be an important asset, so he was playing nice. Didn't mean he'd have to like it. He opened the refrigerator and stared at the drinks inside. He would need something where she wouldn't notice any…discoloration. Grabbing the carton of Orange juice, he took a mug out of the cupboard. Kenshin looked around; Yahiko was still in the living room reading something. Quickly, he pricked his thumb with his nail and squeezed a few precious droplets of blood into the drink. Next, he produced a pill from his pocket and set off towards the back room. 

            "Kaoru-dono, I have some aspirin and orange juice. We are out of water." Kaoru nodded thankfully and accepted the cup and 'aspirin'. Kenshin stared impassively as she willingly swallowed the pill and the tainted juice. An evil smile worked its way onto his face as she slumped onto the bed, dropping the empty mug onto the green carpet. Picking up the mug, he smirked again. The mug was advertising the new Dracula movie. 

            Kenshin had to admit that Kaoru was an attractive woman. She wasn't outstandingly beautiful, but beauty, especially in humans, was fleeting and in the end didn't matter at all. He sat on the bed, lifting the unconscious Kaoru into an upright sitting position. The first step of getting rid of a possible threat was to make his mark. 

            '_Don't you dare bite Kaoru-dono.'_

            Kenshin rolled his eyes; it was terribly annoying to battle with his 'inner self' over the same topic over and over again. 

            _And what are you going to do about it, Rurouni?_

_            'You'll see.'_

_            Is that a threat?_ Kenshin frowned, he didn't like that the Rurouni was threatening him. HE was the master of this body and he'll be damned if some pansy Rurouni threatened him. With that last thought, he bit into Kaoru's neck and proceeded to drink the red blood that spilled out. It was a bittersweet taste and the sheer mind numbing power he received from it was overwhelming.

            _'Stop it- You'll kill her!'_

_            Calm down._ Kenshin licked his lips and let Kaoru's body fall onto the bed. The wound had already begun to heal, she'd live. 

            _'You almost killed her-'_

_            That's the plan dumbass_

_            'I won't allow it.'_

_            Is that so…_

--------------

"Miss, are you alright? You seem to have fallen and hurt yourself." 

            Megumi slowly opened her eyes to the face of a concerned man. She looked around to see she was slumped against the paneling of the elevator, and that for the second time today, Sagara Sanosuke was nowhere in sight. 

            "I'm fine…" She put on her shoes and walked hurriedly out of the hospital. She rummaged through her pockets, pulled out her car keys and entered into her beat up car. _Was that a dream, or was it real?  Raising an anxious hand to her lip, she was mortified to find that it was still bleeding. _

            The concerned man stood at the elevator door. He had come here to see his nephew Okita Soushi, but seeing the incompetent doctors they had here, he wondered if Okita was still alive. 

            "Women," Saitoh Hajime snorted, "they're not cut out to be doctors." 

            "But they're perfect for bait." 

AN: AHhhhhhhhhhhh- I'm finally done with this chapter. XP and if you're having trouble imagining Kaoru with shorter hair, she looks like she did at the end of the manga and in the Kenshin kaden. ; I've also been getting urges to kill off a character or two…can't decide who though…any ideas? Expect more wackiness in the next chapter…

Redroseprincess678- Ahhh when I meant that Kaoru's lame, I meant she can't walk. Her leg muscles have atrophied. As for my evil ideas…muahahahahaha~ I have much character torture ahead…

M.Kasshoku- hehehe…You'll see why Kaoru's so special in the next chapter or so

Ty- wahahahahahaha~ your review made me very happy! So I hurried up and wrote this chapter, glad you like it.

aga_xris- ^^;; well I can't say much for enishi's manners…but I don't think he'll be prancing around with knives anymore… at least not at Kaoru. ) 

Rainhe- I continued :]

Bluejeans- ^^, well I'm glad someone thinks its interesting.

Val- Yeah, well…we all know how Psycho Enishi can be. XP…as for the walking thing- ^^;; Megumi is kind of preoccupied but she'll get around to it. ^-~

Omochi- X)…I love scarring Yahiko for life. Its honestly so much fun, but Tsubame a vampire? O.o;;; That thought never really crossed my mind…

Vampire Tsubame: eek! I have to bite someone??? *faint*

;;; …I don't think that would too well…

JML- ^^;; it is a mess…sessha is cringing at how she will get herself out of it. 

Kitsune- ^__________________________^ 


	7. The Mechanics of My Death

In The Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Warning: much violence… if you don't like gory violence do not read. 

Chapter Six: The Mechanics of My Death

                1998.6.06

                12.01 AM – 1st minute

                "Are you sure?"

                "Yes. Don't question me."  Kenshin frowned as he looked at Hiko. It didn't matter if the giant oaf was Enma, Satan, or whatever you wanted to call him. He was still the Hitokiri Battousai, he would fulfill his duty. One tiny, insignificant girl could not undo that. 

                "Then get on with it. She must be dead by 666." 

                "I understand." Kenshin bowed and left the throne room of Enma. One little, tiny insignificant girl wouldn't change what he had built for the last four centuries. Tomoe Yukishiro would die by his hand and no one else's. 

                It was the least he could do and at the same time…

                It was the most he could do.

                All the same, he would keep their promise. He wouldn't ever say he was sorry. 

                She didn't deserve it. 

                1998.6.06

                1.30 AM – 90th minute

                Megumi rose up off of the bed, covering herself with her bed sheets. These were the times when she felt most jealous of Tomoe. Kenshin would have fun with her and then afterwards, run off to little goody two shoes Tomoe. She watched jealously as he clothed himself. She didn't care if he was once the Hitokiri Battousai. He'd turned on Enma and was helping Tomoe- helping their cause! Why couldn't he for _once_ just stay with her?

                "Kenshin, where are you going?" The slender redhead stopped a moment, his cruel undead eyes glared straight through her.

                "To Tomoe. You know where she is? It might make the search a little easier." He laughed internally; all was going according to plan. He just loved to watch Megumi boil. 

                "She's at home, with Enishi. Do you really have to go back…to _her?" _

                "Yes."

                "Why?" Kenshin gave her a blank stare. How fickle humans were. She'd betrayed her best friend all for him, to steal him away from her best friend. How mortified she would be when she realized the truth. He didn't belong to either of them. 

                "Because, this is the way it is. Remember, before all this, she was your best friend. After all this is over, I won't be around anymore anyway." Megumi frowned. Kenshin was never this…sarcastic…this mean before. He's the one that came to her…not vice versa. 

                "You mean you're leaving?"

                "Yes, and you'll feel so much better knowing that you've backstabbed your best friend. It's quite funny actually." Megumi's mouth fell open, stupefied at her own blindness. 

                "Bastard…"

                "That's not what you were saying thirty minutes ago," Kenshin laughed heartily before returning his gaze to the stunned woman, "But you know, isn't it sad? You'll never be able to say 'I'm sorry'." Megumi's eyes were wide with shock; Kenshin had played her for a fool. He'd never really switched sides, and this whole time he'd been feeding information back to Enma. 

                "How capricious your kind is. I've enjoyed watching you squirm." He swept down upon her temple and virtually sucked out her memories. 

                When Megumi would wake up later, she wouldn't remember a thing. Kenshin, satisfied with his handiwork left. He'd reconstructed her memory; she wouldn't remember anything about him- not unless he decided to give it back to her. 

                1998.6.06

                3.30 AM -210th minute

                Sagara Sanosuke stared at the young woman's dead body. Shinomori Sayo, foresight to Yukishiro Tomoe, was dead. He smiled. He'd done just as his master had said for him to do. He'd mutilated her body so far beyond recognition, that it was nothing but a bloodied carcass. Never mind that he had fucked this woman, never mind that two days ago he'd promised to help her kill Shinomori Aoshi. 

                Kenshin's new world was so far above that. The ideal utopia was coming, and it was coming at a hurtling pace. The death of the Maid of Lorraine and all those who followed her was top priority. Still, the haunted eyes of Sayo chilled his bones. He would be the first to admit that he was shocked that Kenshin wanted her dead. Sure, he'd been stationed to watching her, and feeding Kenshin information but he'd never really considered killing her. 

                Sano frowned. He was still soft. He was centuries old, and he was still soft. He now understood why Kenshin had stationed him to this…imbecile job. Kenshin was testing his worth, his loyalties. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stalked down the street. Pausing a moment, he looked up towards the dark sky. Sano raised a hand to his face, and was shocked to find it wet. 

                It was raining. Yes, that was it, it was raining. 

                                                                                It had to be raining.

                                                                                Vampires didn't cry. 

                1998.6.06

                5.30 AM- 330th minute

                Kenshin stared coldly at the woman begging for her life. She was a stupid whore of a stupid vampire hunter. 

                "Please…don't kill me! You'll be sorry! Shishio will kill you if you do!" Kenshin snorted. 

                "Do you think I really care? Where is Tomoe? She's not home." Yumi flipped him off. 

                "I'll only ask once more, and then I'll kill you." Kenshin clenched his jaw, she was annoying him. He gripped her neck and lifted her up to eye level.

                "Okay, okay~ I'll talk." Yumi's face flushed a sick red color as Kenshin stared at her dispassionately. 

                "You know what, I don't fucking care anymore." With that last notion, he glowered as he strangled off her air supply. He didn't care to notice the little thirteen-year-old boy hiding in the alleyway, his mother just killed by the Hitokiri Battousai. Seta Soujiro was scared. 

                1998.6.06

                5.45 AM-345th minute

                "Genzai-sensei, it's the Kamiya girl!" Takahashi Genzai stared at his assistant, Kamatari before running out of the room. He had made a promise to Kaoru's father to save her; he couldn't let the disease kill her now. The white halls were endless as he rushed down the hall towards the staircase. He was on the 8th floor, the 10th floor was only two flights up, and it would be faster to use the staircase than to wait for the elevator. 

               Such an odd girl, Kamiya Kaoru was. She had been sent to him two years earlier, at the young age of eighteen. And at that young age, she was stricken with an unknown and incurable disease. Fiery and spunky, he had no desire to tell her she was going die, so he didn't. He shoved open the door to the 10th floor and ran into Kaoru's room.

                She was trashing and screaming again. Genzai braced himself; she could be quite irritable during times like this. She had just celebrated her twentieth birthday, which was father than he had ever hoped for her to live.

                "Kamatari, help me restrain her-!" Genzai dodged a wild kick. Her parents had stopped visiting after the first couple of tantrums she threw. He couldn't blame them. It was hard to sit there and watch your child trash in agony and not be able to do anything. 

                What caused her thrashing? No one knew.

                What caused her disease? No one knew.

                What was her disease? No one knew. 

                What did they know? She was dying. Slowly, her organs began shutting down; her mind had recently begun deteriorating. She was lost in a world only she could see, screaming outrageous things- earlier that week she had started to yell at what appeared to be an apparition of her mind. 

                "I'LL KILL HIM, THAT NO GOOD, FILTHY BASTARD! HE KILLED ME! HE KILLED ME! HOW DARE HE KILL ME?"  Genzai brushed aside the strange scream, deeming it an illusion of her mind. She'd screamed similar things before, though none this vehemently. 

                "Who are you gonna kill this time?" Kamatari muttered, strapping an arm onto the mattress. 

                "THAT STUPID BASTARD- I'LL KILL HIMURA KENSHIN! I'LL KILL HIM!" With that she fell quiet and lay deathly still. 

                "Well…that's the first time she's said a coherent name." Kamatari glanced at Genzai, who seemed disgruntled. 

                "Yes. I've heard that name before, Tomoe mentioned him last time she visited me."

                "How's she doing?" Kamatari asked blandly as he re-plugged the machines back into Kaoru. 

                "She's fine, but never mind that. Isn't it odd that she said an actual name?" Kamatari shrugged.

                "There are probably a lot of guys named Kenshin, and Himura isn't all that uncommon." 

                "I suppose." 

                1998.6.06

                7.55 AM- 475th minute

                Tomoe Yukishiro stared at her hands. Kenshin was…preoccupied lately. Her best friend, Megumi, was also becoming more and more…distant. She'd told Megumi she'd be home with Enishi if she wanted to talk. Yeah right, that's where she THOUGHT she'd be until she'd received a disturbing letter from Shishio, their latest recruit. 

                The stressed woman sighed. Enishi was safe at home, so she wasn't too worried. She'd spent the last twelve hours tracking down Saitoh Hajime, but to no success. She dearly hoped he got her message before it was too late. She smacked her head against the steering wheel of the car, she'd witnessed Kenshin sneak out of the house when she was returning home around half past midnight. She'd then followed him, only to find him at Megumi's. 

                It's not like she didn't expect it. That didn't mean it didn't hurt any less, but here she was conspiring against him. She knew he'd never turned on Enma- she was baiting herself and she feared the Day of Judgment was nearing. In a rage, Tomoe had hotwired Megumi's car and was driving around Tokyo's suburbs. 

                He'd find her eventually, but she didn't know what was taking so long. Deep down, she knew she wasn't really going to end all of this. She knew she was the figurehead, the 'fake' Maid of Lorraine. God had told Tomoe her role in this mess, this fiasco. She would pave the way for the next Maid of Lorraine, hopefully, the last one. She could only pray that Saitoh got her message and the picture of Kamiya Kaoru. 

                It was strange. Enishi was only fifteen, and all too eager to join his older sister in her 'destiny'. She herself didn't want her destiny. Her destiny was death, and all her childhood dreams had flown out the window. She didn't understand her brother's idolization of her, nor his obsession with being a hero and she was frankly worried for him. Although, that wasn't what was strange; what was strange was that she cared more about a sickly invalid woman's future more than her own brother's. 

                Kamiya Kaoru. She'd met the girl when she visited her grandfather, Takahashi Genzai. It was then; she knew that her fate was sealed. This sickly woman held more potential than she ever could. Tomoe's gift was fleeting and already she could feel it leaving her. She knew it would pass into that sickly woman, and perhaps she would end the vicious cycle of cat and mouse. 

                For every Maid of Lorraine, there was her White Demon. Tomoe had known Kenshin would be her White Demon, and no matter how much she'd conspired to kill him, it had all backfired. 

                The sun had risen, and she knew this would be the last time she would ever see the sun rise. 

                1998.6.06

                8:30 AM- 510th minute

                Sanosuke quietly bound the unconscious Maid of Lorraine to the stone altar. He could never be too careful around the chosen savior. Hell, no one of their kind could afford to be careless around her, not even Kenshin. He'd seen her terrifying power, the power of being able to command anything as long as it wasn't against free will. Kenshin had been undoubtedly quiet, and it rather agitated Sano. The vampire could bark out orders left and right, but in the end, he didn't have single word to say.

                Glory and their ideal was so freaking close he could taste it. The dark chamber was dank and humid with musty air. God, Sano wanted to get out of there. However, surely, surely the taste of glory would taste much sweeter.

                "Oi, Kenshin. Better kill her before it's too late."

                "No rush. We've got plenty of time." Ignoring Sano's disapproving stare, he stumbled deeper in thought. She'd been damn hard to find, but when he found her she didn't even put up a fight. 

                She knew she was going to die, but why was she so unnervingly calm? She'd been conspiring against him from the beginning, but he never knew what it was that she had finally decided upon. What scheme was she thinking of in that dark and twisted head? 

                He'd find out soon enough. 

                1998.6.06

                9:50 AM- 590th minute

                Kaoru stared at the ceiling. She was seeing strange people, hearing strange voices, and they were trying to take control of her. Her head was swimming with a distant, fuzzy pain that seemed to send her mind into brief moments of nothingness. Her whole body felt heavy and she was tired; tired of putting up with the needles and the plugs, with sympathetic looks and the bullshit excuses. 

                She wanted it to end and she wanted it to end now. 

                And as if to answer her prayers, the green line went flat. 

                1998. 6.06. 

                10.10 AM- 610th minute

                Tomoe stared up at a smirking Kenshin. He truly was a bastard, but she kept to her promise. She wouldn't say sorry, and neither would he. Neither of them deserved it.  

                "So, what big plan have you got in store for me now?" Tomoe nearly panicked. Did he know? Did he intercept her message to Saitoh? 

                "Nothing. You win." Kenshin's face twisted into a frown and a cold hand clamped around her throat.

                "Bull. I know you're planning something. I can tell that you're lying, the heart tends to beat faster." Tomoe inwardly cursed but kept calm. She would need to stay calm if she wanted to drag this out as long as possible. 

                "Fine, believe what you want to believe. I don't care." 

                "Bitch." Kenshin tightened his grip around her throat, feeling the blood pump through her arteries. "Tell me the damn truth." 

                "I did." He let go of her neck, and she noticed a perturbed Sanosuke in the background. Painfully, she acknowledged that Sayo and her unborn child were probably dead. Poor Aoshi, he never knew of Sayo's unhappiness, or of her hatred for him. He did genuinely care for Sayo; it would kill him to see her dead. 

                "Why don't you fight back, _Maid of Lorraine_? You could kill me right now before I kill you." Tomoe ignored Kenshin. She couldn't fight back, her powers were leaving her at a rapid rate, and all she could do was save up for her final wish. 

                "No I can't." He slammed his fist into her face and she smelt the blood in her nose. She had to stall for time, but at this rate, she'd be a bloody pulp before she was ready. 

                1998.6.06

                11.03 AM- 663rd minute

                Kaoru stared as Genzai talked to her. He was trying to save her, but all she could hear was garbled words and fuzzy figures. She was dying and the bliss was unbearable. She couldn't feel anything, and her world was fading into black. 

                "Dammit, Kaoru, don't give up!" Genzai-sensei stared at the fluctuating green line that was threateningly close to going flat. He hadn't seen it many times before, but the familiar look in Kaoru's eyes was that of a dying person's last look on life. Her azure eyes were glazed over and unseeing as she passed. 

                "Get me that damn contraption!" Kamatari nodded as she/he grabbed the defribulator (spelling?) and watched teary eyed as Genzai sensei pulled Kaoru from the world of the dead, only to watch her slip back into convulsions. 

                "Dear lord…you should've just let her die!" Kamatari felt nauseous as Kaoru kept shaking and Genzai-sensei just stood there gaping. Genzai-sensei just stood there, hoping that she would calm down and return to normal. 

                He shut his eyes, as the convulsions stopped, she'd died anyway and he decided to call it quits. He couldn't save Kamiya-san's daughter, and he'd sworn he would. Kamiya-san had died thinking that his daughter would live to be a healthy old woman and he'd failed him. Kamatari was vomiting on the floor and he gently brushed his old wizened hands over her eyes.

                "Time of death, 11:06 AM…" 

                1998.6.06

                11.04 AM- 664th minute

                He'd mutilated her face beyond all recognition and yet she wouldn't die. Kenshin didn't understand it, she'd given herself up, resigning to the fact that she was going to die by his hands; and NOW she was resisting death.

                "Kenshin, you've got two minutes left." Sano fidgeted nervously, two minutes and if she didn't die soon, then she'd ruin their chances at the perfect world. 

                "Why, won't you die?" Tomoe's bloodied face, what was left of her mouth was curved up in an odd little smile, her nose bashed in, and her eyes glazing over. 

                "I give you the gift of a soul." And in that moment, she died. Sano breathed a sigh of relief, unable to hear the murmurings of the dead woman. It was 11:06, the 666th minute in the 24 hour day. They'd made the deadline.  Sano's relief was cut short as he noticed his master's crumpled form at the base of the altar. 

                There, lay a screaming Hitokiri Battousai. One angry, pissed, screaming, Battousai who now had a brand new soul. 

                1998.6.06

                11.07 AM- 667th minute

                Kaoru opened her eyes. She was still alive, and yet, the voices were gone. Her constant headache was gone, and her body no longer felt so heavy. She was alive, and never felt better, she was finally cured! She could finally leave this godforsaken hospital.

                "Thank you Genzai-sensei. I'm cured…really I am. I don't know how…but I am…"

                Genzai just stared. In future years, this would be known as his greatest achievement in his medical career, and yet he knew he had nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing at all, yet how do you explain someone coming back from the dead? Kamatari had passed out in his/her own vomit and Genzai grimaced. He d didn't know whether Kamatari was a woman or man, (and frankly, he didn't care to find out) but nothing disgusted him more than a nurse who couldn't handle tough situations. He'd demote him/her in the later on. 

                Year 2003

                Kaoru woke up with a start. She'd dreamt of her death again, however, this time her attacker's face was clear. Himura Shinta had mutilated her face beyond recognition and she had been chained to a stone altar in a dark, dank, humid and musty room. 

                She reaffirmed her earlier conviction…

                No way in hell was Himura Shinta human. Sitting alone in Enishi's room, Kaoru placed a hand around her neck. When she pulled it back, she was mortified to find blood.

AN: Wahahahahahaha……after so many finals and regents I finally got the time to crank this baby out. ^^…as you can tell…this was a change of pace from the plot and rather an explanation of the past. I have dropped mucho mucho hints in this chapter! 

Ureshi desu yo…

Anyways…thank you to all of whom reviewed 

Jason M. Lee- eheheheheh…yeah…Battousai does have personality problems…-_-; and I still am cringing at the feat of getting myself out of the even bigger mess of a plot I've gotten myself into…

M. Kasshoku- yes…I like the tension between all of them as well…And of course Sano has to be sleazy/sexy at the same time…however…its hard to actually get him to come out the right way…glad to know I did it right. Kenshin's mental battle is worrying me too… -_-;

Monkeysme- well…the reason as to why Kaoru's so important is hinted at here…and will come up in the next few chapters…and yeah…it _is_ weird how Yahiko doesn't notice who's a vampire and who isn't. -_-; Oh well…Yahiko is Yahiko…he's just as dense as Kenshin sometimes…

Omochi- well…the whole Megumi remembering thingy was addressed here…hope that answered your question. Yes! The Rurouni will gain more muscle…he just has to… -_-;

Tashi- hehe…I liked the "screw foreplay" line too

Blue jeans- ^^ more is on its way…

Kimiko- ^^;; more S/M will come yes it will…I enjoy writing that pairing in this story….its a hell of a lot easier than writing Aoshi and Misao…just cuz…well I've made Misao so Ed like from Cowboy Bebop… -_-;

P1- AHHHH!!! I will write more….

Kamma- nyahahahahaha~ sessha has written more….

Chiruken- :3…I like Kaoru human…and I have no clue how many tricks are up Kenshin's magenta sleeve….Oh the possibilities… and Sano…well…who knows what the little roosterhead did in the brief 3-4 minutes in the elevator…hehehehehe )

Son Lila- Yes…I DO enjoy making you hang off the edge of your seat… )… hrm…wicked Tsubame…. I dunno about that one… not quite sure as to what I'm gonna do with her….


	8. Blood Red Sunset

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter 7- Blood Red Sunset

                Kaoru stared at the dry crusted blood on her fingers. Its dull brownish color starkly contrasted with her pale skin and she placed her hand to her neck again. It was sore, but she couldn't find a single scab, wound or injury anywhere. Kaoru sighed; she had those awful dreams again. They were a mixed jumble in her mind, each from different points of view of the same event. In the few minutes since she had waken up, the details were already blurred and some forgotten. She moaned in frustration and fell back upon her bed, unaware of when she had sat up in the first place. She had forgotten many details, but the things she wanted to forget, she couldn't.

                She'd seen her death—twice. It was strange; in one scene she was strapped to a musty stone altar, beaten to death by fanatical Shinta while a strange man—Sanosuke—watched in the background. In the other scene, she was in a hospital bed, screaming incoherent things as Dr. Genzai tried to save her life. They both couldn't be true, _After all_, Kaoru reasoned,_ you can't die twice._

                "So sleeping beauty wakes up, you nearly gave me a heart attack you know." Kaoru froze, since when had Megumi been in the room? She whirled around to face the weary doctor with an uneasy look upon her face. She had seen Megumi in her dreams, and that Megumi was someone she didn't care to associate with. How did she know that Megumi had changed? Easy--she didn't.

                "What do you mean?"

                "Tanuki-chan, you've been out for four days. I come back to the clinic—expecting to be _off duty and I find a panicked Shinta because you 'dead fainted'." Kaoru opened her mouth to protest, __she of al people did not faint. "—Not only that, you were out for the next four days and had me thinking you'd fallen into a coma." _

                Kaoru felt guilty. The doctor was tired, and it showed. Her eyes were dull and watery, the beginnings of bags forming. Her hair was limp and stringy, and Kaoru guessed she hadn't showered or slept in a few days. Her skin was a pale color and her skin seemed to hang on her bones. Noticing the nasty cracked lip, that had started swelling; she guessed Megumi didn't do much eating either.

                "You look like crap—go, sleep, eat, _shower_. I'm fine." Megumi chuckled, soon leading into an insane laughter as the doctor snorted and chortled on the floor. Kaoru face faulted as Megumi began to sober up. "So, you maniac, what's happened since I've been out?" 

                Megumi eye twitched a bit before an uneasy smile graced her face. Her lips pursed in thought and suddenly the tension in the room skyrocketed as Megumi figured out the words to say.

                "Well, Enishi came back—he and Shinta don't get along very well, but I'm not sure as to why. That little boy—Enishi's very interested in where he came from, he tried to take him to see Saitou the other day. Shinta objected and the boy sided with Shinta. Needless to say they exploded at each other…to make a long story short—this is your room now." Kaoru snorted. From her brief encounters with the younger man, she deeply resented him. She couldn't blame Shinta for blowing up at the conceited asshole (who liked to prance around waving knives) but at the same time, she felt very uneasy.

                Himura Shinta was not human. She had come to that conclusion the first day she'd met him, and had only talked to him once after that. That first meeting, she had oddly noticed how cool his skin was and when her head had been level with his chest, she didn't hear any heartbeats. Later, Kaoru had taken the aspirin he'd given her, and then all was blank. She didn't doubt for a second he had slipped something into her drink. It was orange juice—she wouldn't notice if something was slipped in.

                _"Kaoru-dono, I have some aspirin and orange juice. We are out of water."  _

                Bullshit. She was going to get out of there before the psychopath decided to kill her.

                "Hey Megumi—when are you going to help me get walking again?" 

--------------

                Enishi prowled the streets of Tokyo, watou discreetly strapped to his back. He was pissed, and he was thrown out of his home. Saitou was nowhere to be found and a little red haired man had taken his place in the clinic. He knew who that bastard really was, Himura Shinta his ass. Himura _Kenshin_ was more like it. Hitokiri Battousai—in his grasp and he was unable to do _anything.  Not while the kid and Megumi were being used as a shield. He had been the only one to notice what Battousai was doing—Battousai _knew_ he wouldn't attack as long as both Megumi and Yahiko sided with him. He was smart, and he had also gotten his way as Megumi threw him out of the clinic "until he got his act together." _

                Sullenly, he shoved his hands into his pockets and scowled. Saitou would be pissed at him beyond belief. He would beat his ass into pavement and Enishi kicked at the floor. Not only had he lost his room, with **all his things in it**, he had lost their strategic hold on the clinic. Neither he nor Saitou would be welcome in the clinic anymore and that little brat refused to go with him. He was their last chance at relaying things to the Maid of Lorraine. Their last chance to convince her to join their cause was gone down the drain. Enishi kicked the lamppost. 

                How could Megumi not remember who this bastard was? How could she not remember the person who had brutally maimed and murdered Tomoe? How could Megumi take _Battousai's side over his own? __How the hell could she throw him, her surrogate **son** out?  Did she forget her part in the cause? Obviously she did. He didn't care if he was only thrown out 'until he got his act together', he wasn't going back. Megumi and the brat had chosen their sides, and he wouldn't forget it._

                His only regret was that he couldn't take Kaoru with him. He left the Maid of Lorraine in a wasp's nest. She was comatose by the time he had come back—no doubt Battousai's doing—meaning he had already started devising his murder scheme. Enishi stared at the setting sun, it was blood red. Kaoru's blood would pour out into the streets if he didn't do SOMETHING, _anything soon. Then her blood would be followed with the blood of all of Tokyo. Footsteps were approaching, and Enishi snorted. This was not a good day. _

                "It would seem that you are a troubled man Yukishiro."

                "I don't wanna deal with your shit Shishio—just leave me in peace." Enishi didn't bother to look at the freak. He'd gone insane after Komagata Yumi died and his son went missing. The man didn't have a shred of humanity left in his soulless body and Enishi didn't care to deal with the psychotic man. 

                "Such strong words for a boy whose hasn't even become a man yet." Enishi grit his teeth, his fists clenched at his side. Saitou had warned him about Shishio, the man wasn't in his right mind.

                "Get lost." Cold laughter erupted behind him, and a shiver crawled up Enishi's spine.

                "You're wasting your time with Saitou. The whole Maid of Lorraine crap won't kill Battousai—she always falls in _love_ with him. What's the _point_? We've got to take him out ourselves!!" Shishio watched carefully through his cold calculating eyes. The Yukishiro boy had gone rigid, stiff backed and if he clenched his fists any harder, he'd draw blood.

                "You're _insane. _It's a known fact that the _only known way of defeating Battousai is through theMaid of Lorraine. Nothing else will kill him—he's the most freaking powerful vampire on the face of this freaking earth." Enishi turned to face the gaunt face of Shishio Makoto. His pale skin was matted by ratty black hair tied in a samurai's topknot. He even wore the traditional Japanese swordsman getup. There was a cold glint of insanity in the older man's eyes and Enishi felt his mouth go dry._

                "That's where you're wrong. Obviously someone thought up of the Maid of Lorraine—obviously we'll think of something else; something that might actually _work_. We're a lot alike, you and I. He killed your sister. He killed my wife and son. We both want to kill him."

"Yeah—and while we'd be thinking of an alternate way, Battousai would go out and _kill us all." An insane smile grew on Shishio's face before he broke out into jubilant laughter. Enishi's scowl grew as he stood his ground, he was even more insane than the last time he met him._

Shishio took a step forward and Enishi held his breath, "My troops are a lot more prepared than the rag tag team you've got. We know we can kill him—he is after all only a vampire. You should join us Enishi. You'd make a great leader. I know we can kill him without that wretched _woman_—"

                "That's enough Shishio. I will not tolerate you harassing _my apprentice." Saitou's cold voice was like a blessing to Enishi. The older men glared at each other until Shishio's upper lip began to twitch oddly, his hands shaking with an unknown emotion and he gave Saitou another scathing look as he walked away. _

                "You know where to find me Yukishiro!" Enishi scowled as the disgrace disappeared, the red sunlight coloring the man's escape.

                "What did he want?" Enishi stared after Shishio, Saitou's cold stare making it clear he was in deep shit.

                "Nothing."

                "You're lying. I can tell." 

                "Excuse me. I didn't know you could smell deceit." Saitou snorted. The boy was going to regret opening his loud mouth.

                "What's this I hear about you getting kicked out of the clinic?"  
                Enishi sighed. Where did the man get his information? He'd been kicked out only two hours ago, how the hell did he find out?

                "It doesn't matter. I'll kick your ass later." Enishi breathed a sigh of relief and followed Miburo's wolf down the street, but Shishio's words had sown new seeds of doubt in his head.

                _Is it really possible? To kill Battousai without the Maid of __Lorraine__?_

--------------

                Aoshi sat in his room at the underground headquarters of the Oniwabanshu. He had broken his cell phone and stared at the two broken pieces. This technological instrument was a piece of crap—it brought nothing but bad news and burned a hole in his pocket. Annoyed, he tossed it to the other side of the room, a scowl adorning his face. 

_"_"_Gomen nasai, Okashira. She's been missing for a year…"_

A whole freaking year. That would mean, she was missing soon after he left for Tokyo. Sighing, he buried his face into his hands and just sat there, hunched over and miserable. Guilt stabbed his heart as he wondered why, oh why did he leave Kyoto?

                He had left to protect her, the Aoiya, and the rest of the Oniwabanshu. He had left because the pain he felt over Sayo's death was much too great. He had left because he was a coward. He had left because he was a fraud to the Oniwabanshu name and all the ideals they stood for. 

                The Oniwabanshu—the biggest, as well as the best vampire slaying 'cult' born of highly skilled, highly vengeful warriors, all with the potential to become the Right and Left Wings of the Maid. They would have all laid their lives down in an instant for the Maid of Lorraine. Aoshi stared at the wall; no doubt the Oniwabanshu group had fallen into disarray. As their Okashira, their _leader, he had abandoned them and their cause—he had sold his soul to the devil all because of a woman. _

                During Tomoe's reign as the Maid of Lorraine, the Oniwabanshu had been her greatest ally. They lent her the skills of foresight through Sayo, the information gathering skills of Hannya, and Beshimi, the experience of Okina and he, he had taken up his kodachi as her personal advisor. They had made a formidable force—possibly the biggest one Battousai had ever had to dismantle. 

 However, it all went down the drain when they rescued Misao. He didn't blame the little girl; she was only twelve at the time. A tiny street rat, Tomoe had rescued her from being vampire food and taken in by the Oniwabanshu. She had taken an immediate liking to him, and an immediate dislike to Sayo, his wife. She drove the wedge between them even further, and to Misao's girlish whims, he could not refuse. Sayo grew distant, her foresight shady and then, both Sayo and Tomoe's dead bodies had ended the revolt against Battousai. They had lost miserably.

Aoshi grit his teeth. He had sought out Battousai, full of righteous fury and pain. He had fought Battousai, and was beaten to an inch of his life. In that instant of weakness, Battousai had let him live and in his agony; he listened to the nothingness offered to him. Battousai's utopia—his world of no suffering, in his madness, Aoshi had agreed and become a traitor to the Oniwabanshu. Utopia was Greek for empty, nowhere, and it had been a book written by Sir Thomas Moore in Henry the VIII's court about paradise. Thus, since then, the word had the connotation of paradise. The nothingness Battousai offered—at the time, Aoshi believed it was paradise.  To some extent, he still believed it. 

His followers never knew that their beloved Okashira was helping Battousai regain strength. They never knew he supplied them with information—they never knew he was a double spy. She never knew. Misao just looked up to him even more and proclaimed him her 'Aoshi-sama' and he, he had grown dependant

             She never knew her Aoshi-sama betrayed the Oniwabanshu and in turn betrayed her. With her undying loyalty, she'd stared into his eyes, smiled and latched onto his being with all she had.  Misao, in those short four years had become his only friend, his best friend. Then, when he wasn't looking—she had grown into a beautiful young woman. She would leave him one day and Misao would view him as the father she never had and her girlish crush would fade. 

                He couldn't bear that. His almost obsessive dependency on her had grown into some sick twisted form of love. It was unacceptable. It was profane and he was not going to let it continue. She'd be fine in Kyoto without him. That's what he had told himself. She wouldn't need him there, and thus, he was protecting her from his betrayal and from his sick perverse mind. 

                Now she had been _missing_ for a _year. A whole god damn year. Aoshi gripped the cup of tea in his hands. Its warmth was gone and the sweat of his hands made the cup slippery in his grasp._

                "OKINA--! We're going back to Kyoto! We're going NOW!" He tossed the cup across the room. He was going to hell anyway—might as well do _one_ thing right before he left this godforsaken world.

                Outside his window, the sunset was blood red—soon, Kyoto's streets would be the same color. 

--------------

                "Do you have any feeling in your legs?"

                "Yes."

                "Can you move your toes?"

                "Yes."

                "Do you think you can move them?"  
                "Yes." 

                "Can you give me more than one word answers?"  
                Kenshin stared at the irritable patient in front of him. She was a real sneaky bitch when she wanted to be. _Somehow_, all of the Maids _were. Kaoru had been mean, sulky and sullen at their first meeting, curiously bright and happy, their second and third meeting, and back to bitchy at their fourth._

                _'God only knows why I haven't killed_her by now. Shishou—I am going to kill you.'__

                _'This is a good thing de gozaru. She's not stupid—sessha bets she already knows your twisted and evil plots you piece of shit de gozaru._

_                'Oh just piss off moron.' _

_                Make me._

                Kenshin had a migraine. When his…wimpier half had said he wasn't going to let him hurt 'Kaoru-dono' he'd laughed it off. What could Rurouni do? Apparently, _dear Shinta had realized that too and resorted to petty bickering. It was driving him insane._

                "Why the hell are _you_ teaching me how to walk again?" She looked at him in disgust. Of all people, Megumi had entrusted this _psychopath_, who was trying to _kill her—she refused to forget that orange juice incident and the _blood_ on her neck—to teach her how to walk. Kaoru was surprised he hadn't decided to __break them instead._

                "Finally—the mute one speaks." Kenshin muttered under his breath. He fought desperately to resist the urge to break her toes that he was testing out for feeling.

                "Well if it isn't mister cranky-pants." Kaoru's face was twisted up in pain as she croaked out the words. Girly man was completely oblivious to the piercing pains in her side. Her head was spinning with light headedness. She felt as if she was going to pass out in minutes. She always got this sickness around Shinta. The man was a curse.

                "You look like shit." Kenshin scrunched up his nose. Her eyes were red and glassy, and her skin was blotchy as her hair stuck up in various places. She looked like a dying druggie. 

                "Maybe it's because I think you're trying to kill me. Or maybe it's because it feels like I'm being STABBED in my gut, or maybe it's the fact that I'm so dizzy I think my eyes are going to fall out of its sockets—" Kaoru's eyes were unfocused and glazed over in pain and Kenshin felt a hand fist in his hair.

                "What are you doing?" His eyes turned squinty as he scrutinized his patient. She was doubled over in pain, and gripping his hair with some physical illness. It was a disturbing sight to seem; even more disturbing was her perceptiveness. She had no doubt figured out the orange juice incident and he had noticed the dried blood on her neck had been washed away thoroughly. It was quite possible he had underestimated her dearly.

                "If I pass out, I'm knocking you out too psychopath." Kenshin snorted. 

                "What makes you think that in your current condition, you can knock _me out?" Her weak hands were barely able to make a plausible grip, much less pull him down. Suddenly, her fist came flying at his face, and by its sheer power Kenshin fell backwards._

                "Cocky bastard." Kaoru had stood up on her legs and knocked the rude man over. Any trace of her former illness, or pain was completely gone from her face. 

                Kenshin staggered up and gave her a curious look. He thought that she couldn't walk—and how the _hell_ did she get the strength to knock _him_ over? Sheer power emanated from her tiny frame, and his golden eyes bore into hers as she defiantly stared up.

                "I thought you couldn't use your legs." Kaoru faltered a bit, moments ago, she hadn't been able to even make her legs move an inch. Then as the cocky bastard started insulting her, she had wished that she could just walk over there and knock him out. 

                "Well what do you know—God's cured my legs so I can finally get out of this godforsaken country." Kaoru was nervous and it showed through her brash reply. Kenshin narrowed his eyes. Never before had a Maid knocked him over with such ease and apparently, she had no clue as to _how_ she had attained such a power. 

                "What are you staring at?" Shinta was making Kaoru nervous and found herself hoping that he would just stop staring with his freakish dragon-like eyes and snarling face. She felt like a piece of meat that would soon be torn apart by a hungry dragon. At the same time, an ominous feeling of cold emptiness emanated from his being—and it felt like he had no soul. It was a freaky sense of tension that Kaoru wished that it would all just go away.

                "What, do you have a problem with it?" A cocky smirk graced his handsome face and Kaoru wondered _why_ all the handsome men, were all jerks. 

                "Of course I have a problem with it!"

                "So what are you going to do about it?" Kaoru fumed. 

                "I hate you." Kenshin raised a delicate eyebrow. Now that was a first—a Maid of Lorraine, who was _destined_ to fall in love with him, hated him. 

                "There's a thin line between love and hate." Her face turned bright red at his suggestive smile and raised her hand to slap him. 

                _'Now that's curious. This slap is so weak even the weakest thug could block it.' Kenshin held a slim wrist in midair and watched with mild fascination at the blood pumping towards her face, and with great lust as he heard her heart thumping wildly in her chest._

                Kaoru flushed embarrassed at Shinta's grip on her wrist. She was righteously angry and found her thoughts were turning vindictive.

                "You're a soulless bastard, you know that?"

                "Yeah, I pride myself in knowing that." Kaoru scowled. Just to spite him, she wished he had a heart or a soul, maybe both, just so she could personally stomp on it. Kaoru watched with wide eyes as Shinta suddenly slumped over, unconscious on the ground like a limp corpse.

                "Holy shit—"Kneeling over, Kaoru began lightly slapping at his cold, pale face. She frantically placed a head on her his chest only to find no heartbeat. Frantically she gripped his wrist and found no pulse. 

               "Shinta—wake up~ please don't be dead..." Kaoru paused a moment, "Okay, you're already dead but don't be _dead_ dead. Oh fucking shit!" 

                Himura Shinta lay comatose on the green carpeting of Enishi's room, with a frantic Kaoru wringing her hands as she hovered over him, trying to get him to wake up. Many thoughts ran through Kaoru's head at that moment; how does a dead person die again? If you're already dead, is it even _possible to die again? How is it that a dead person can walk around like a normal human being? But probably the most rampant thought in her head at the moment was: Just how _do_ you wake up a dead person?_

                The sun set over Tokyo, and the sky faded to black. 

**TBC...**

AN: -_________________________-; Well, there's some KxK moments right there, and as you can see Kenshin just keeled over unconscious. I had a bit of trouble with that scene in trying to get him to fall, and then whether to end it there, or go on with the next scene I had in mind…as you can see I let it end there. )… Ahhh and the plot thickens again…with the mysterious return of the ever mysteriously unbandaged Shishio…I really had a hard time figuring out whether or not I would make him in bandages this time. 

Shishio: *wrapped in mummy bandages and walking in the sunset through Tokyo* Enishi…Come with me—Mumra--*cough cough* I mean, Shishio.

Enishi: ….*Bursts out laughing*

Saitoh: ….Ahou…*lights Shishio on fire with a burnt out cigarette* 

Really, I can't take Shishio all that seriously walking through modern day Tokyo in a mummy outfit…and especially with those silly flaps on the sides of his head…

Yay—14 reviews! Thank you to all those who took the time to write one—its my natural high. 

Jason M. Lee- ^^;; yeah, I took the liberty of explaining the whole utopia thing up in Aoshi's monologue/thought thingy. He seemed like the right person to know that fact of knowledge. Enma-sama is only helping Kenshin because…well…if Kenshin takes over the living realm, and Enma already has the lower part of the undead realm…then of the three realms, he technically controls 2 out of 3 realms…and his plans for complete domination begin… but he's such a sucker for watching Kenshin fail…

Jen- If your teachers/boss come up to me and bangs my head in for you not doing your assignments due to my story—I shall hide under my desk. Ahhh, not to worry, I do that all the time…I _should be doing my work, but instead I run off to tea houses, coffee houses, and plan trips to Six Flags Great Adventure…but what teachers/boss don't know, can't hurt them… ^^;;_

Linay- Wai wai…TT.TT sessha is so honored linay-sama reviewed my fic and even liked it… 

Omochi- I don't know…*wiggles eyebrows* _is she alive again? ) If you're not dead, but you're not alive, what are you anyway? *Shrug* If you beat Final Fantasy X, you might get an idea as to what Kaoru's status of 'living' is. _

M. Kasshoku—Ahhh…the white haired one. Enishi was left at home…sleeping in his nice little fluffy bed when Tomoe…um…died. As for what happened after that—you'll see in a chapter or so…although Enishi might be …*ahem* _'snuffed'_ a little later on. I don't know whether I'll actually _'snuff'_ him or not…it all depends on whether my muses decide I'm a cruel hearted psycho. 

Kimiko – I tried to fit in a S/M moment in this chapter but it just didn't wanna work out well enough and I was all : where am I gonna stick that scene in?? I am now waiting for the opportune time for the rooster to get his groove on. 

Haruko—I like to thicken the plot slowly, even though half the time I wanna write something ten billion chapters away NOW, I have to make it work right so it doesn't seem rushed or sloppy. ; its half the reason I take so long to crank a chapter out. I envy all those who can crank out stories like a machine…how do they do it? Tomoe's death was definitely not in vain, but I've noticed in a lot of Kenshin fics—major turning points start with her death…O.- although I don't know how long she'll stay dead…

Lessa—You see…that "if Kaoru can't move how will she 'kill' Kenshin" problem bugged me for the last…oh…2-3 chapters and then I figured, well…"lets make it so she suddenly recovers almost immediately and see what the reaction is if I don't reveal the reason as to why". Trust me, the status of Kaoru's "life" and the whole "wow I can walk" thing will be explained in due time.

Jazika/Son lin- I love the dun dun dun…and updated I have. 

Squirrel—glad you enjoy my story, and I updated…although not as soon as I had hoped…-_-;

Neko Oni-- *wai* your review made me uber happy. ; god…I'm turning into one of my friends with the word uber…;; anyway, Originally I was going to have Hiko as Satan and then either Okon or Onmasu (it would seem Okon likes Hiko more though) as a love sick female God who sends him jugs and jugs of sake. That didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story though, so Okon's just a normal human Oniwabanshu. Oh well. Saitoh and Enishi were meant to be partners together though…they're just too funny to stick together because they're so odd. 

kaOru—no—taNuki- Ahhh…the ever present being of the Tanuki. My dad used to call me that when I was little though because I was obsessed with Meeko from Pocahontas and when I was even smaller I was always mucking it up with the boys and had Anji marks around my eyes… O.O; Well I stuck in the KxK moment up there, and KxK will come soon, probably in the next chapter *hint hint as to why Kenshin's knocked out* 

Son Lila-- *innocent look* who me? Evil? *smirk* 

Lilfrozenfire- *bows* I updated. 


	9. A Hidden Loophole In Heavenly Decree

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter Eight: A Hidden Loophole in Heavenly Decree

            Saitoh Hajime carefully unfolded the creased letter in his hands. Like many times before, he ran a long spidery finger over the faded characters which were written in a hurry, the strokes short and impatient. He could almost imagine Tomoe writing this letter with great care. He almost felt guilty. 

            He sighed deeply. The letter went into great detail about a loophole she had discovered in researching the myth of the Maid of Lorraine; A loophole whose definition Tomoe failed to mention. Loophole this, loophole that—There was no clear indication as who or WHAT this loophole was; just that Saitou would know when the time came. The only clue he had was that it involved death, limbo, life and resurrection or something to that effect. 

            Saitoh cursed vehemently. He was no Jesus Christ. He was not a miracle worker who could bring people back from the dead. In fact, he was so inept with magical skill that he'd left it up to Enishi. Tomoe's letter also went on and on about the 'grand scheme of time' and the disturbing revelation that she would not be the one to bring peace. Most importantly, she had included the picture of a sickly young woman who supposedly _would_. 

            Pulling out a dull, faded picture he scrutinized it. Tomoe gave him too much credit. He was smart, yes. He was resourceful, yes—intuitive, deductive, cunning, a deadly swordsman, excellent Vampire slayer—he was all of those. However, he was never good at understanding obscure magical concepts. He'd mainly shrugged it off, leaving it to Aoshi and Tomoe to sort out by themselves.

            Which led him to question WHY he had been sent the letter? Aoshi would be a better choice; the man would most likely understand this 'loophole' nonsense with the greatest of ease. Glancing over, he glanced quietly at Enishi. The sulking boy had begun drinking some of Saitoh's best sake and never stopped. Quite understandable, a meeting with Shishio Makoto was not something many people could stomach quite easily.

            "Boy, see what you can make of your sister's ramblings. Perhaps you can understand this lunacy." Enishi's bloodshot eyes stared at him. He was a pitiful sight to behold, with unkempt whitish blonde hair, pasty skin and a red disposition. He smelt of sake and with deference, he carefully plucked the letter from Saitoh.

            "Why didn't you show me this before?" His voice was warbled and cracked.

            "Just be glad I'm showing it to you now." Enishi's watery eyes roved over the letter—careful deliberation evident on his face. His nose had scrunched up giving him a piggish look and his nostrils flared unflatteringly, teeth bared in frustration.

            "She's talking about a loophole in Heavenly Decree."

           "Really? I hadn't figured that out." Saitoh drawled, sarcasm dripping from every word as he snarled impatiently.

            "Do you even know what Heavenly Decree is?" 

            "Is Heavenly Decree an actual decree?" Enishi stared at him; utter disbelief adorned his watery face.

            "You're a Japanese vampire slayer, and you don't even know Heavenly Decree? Every one in this profession, in this country knows Heavenly Decree!" Enishi was livid—only a fool jumped into this job without knowing the laws of life, death, limbo and resurrection. Didn't mean they understood it, but they knew them better than any prayer, creed or oath.

            "My heavenly decree is Aku. Soku. Zan. Battousai is evil, therefore I must kill him." 

            "There is a loophole in Heavenly Decree—which means either God was wrong about something or she put it there intentionally." Enishi rolled his eyes in a drunken stupor, the alcohol fueling his livid explanation. 

            "God is a she?" Saitoh cringed as images of a feminist God plagued his mind. He also ignored the feelings of inadequacy of overlooking the fact that Heavenly Decree was actually something other than ramblings. He had seen it recited at Tomoe's funeral, and at the funeral of many other slayers. He even knew some of it—it left him feeling stupid.

            "Yes, but forget about that! My sister talks about the loophole and about Kaoru-san which must mean Kaoru-san knows something about the loophole…" Saitoh watched disgusted as Enishi conked out. Not only had his best sake been polished off, his information had been cut off halfway. 

            It would appear as if Saitoh would have to pay a friendly visit to this…Kamiya Kaoru.

--------------

            Kaoru panicked. Was it normal for dead people to pass out? Did this have anything to do with the vengeful thoughts that had run through her head? Unsure as what to do with her hands, she crouched down next to Shinta. 

            "O-kay, don't freak out. He's just dead. He was never alive to begin with, so it's not your fault if he suddenly decides he wants to stay dead…" She pushed out her hands forcefully and flipped the comatose red head onto his back.  With a careful finger, she poked his sides. Feeling less queasy and a bit more daring, she leaned over to examine his face. 

            It didn't seem as pale as it did an ugly shade of reddish green. Mostly red and Kaoru guessed the greenish tint came from the green carpeting all around them. 

            "Perhaps the floor isn't the best place to keep a dead/sleeping man…" She hovered directly over his seemingly sleeping face. It looked rather peaceful, and _dead-like. Calm, compared the snarling, jeering face that she had become accustomed to arguing with. He seemed friendlier in death than he did when he was…alive/dead. _

            Dark cobalt blue eyes flew open.

            "HOLY SHIT--!"

            "Ororororororororo…" Kaoru jerked across the room, banging her head against the door and an equally shocked Shinta had flown into the nightstand. Once he had recovered, he stared in a horrified wonder at his hands and Kaoru arched a curious eyebrow. He had not taken notice of her at all, nor did he seem aware of his environment. Rather, his face held a rounded softness and a childish glee. 

However, Kenshin was greatly perturbed. He no longer felt cold and the persistent nagging of the Rurouni was no longer heard in his head. Rather, it was felt and he felt the blood rush to his face.

            The blood rush to his face? Oro? Since when did he start oro-ing? Tyrants who wished to keep their tyrant reputation did not make cute noises when distressed. They murdered people. The thought of killing people made Kenshin queasy, which surprised him a great deal. He hadn't felt queasy about murder since the days he was mortal…

            He froze. He was not cold, and he was flushed. He glared sharply at the girl who was peering at him curiously. _She_ had done this. _She_ could UN-do this. His hands itched to strangle her, but he was dismayed to find a sinking feeling in his stomach and a plunging of his heart. 

            _You shouldn't kill people for pissing you off._

            Dear Enma, he had a conscience. The woman had made him a mortal and then for kicks—gave him a conscience. She had turned him into a wishy washy pansy with _feelings and he was mortified, disgusted and aghast with the burning need to vomit. _

            "Are you okay?" She was next to him with a cooling hand on his forehead, and a worried look in her eyes. She was very close to him, much too close for comfort. Kenshin had the urge to slap her hands away and keep them there at the same time, the former being the stronger of the two feelings.

            "This unworthy one is fine that he is." 

            _WHAT? He tried desperately to slap her hand away and glare, but found himself utterly powerless to do so. His body was moving without him and in a dire moment of panic he realized just exactly what this feeling of suspended animation was._

            "Are you sure? You just conked out in the middle of our argument." 

            "Oro? This unworthy one must be getting old that he is." Kaoru just smiled quizzically and helped him to his feet. Kenshin could feel his heart beating rather erratically—he had forgotten those drawbacks to being mortal. 

            He hated being the one being pushed to the back of the proverbial brain. He was not about to sit back and take this sitting down. HE was a feared tyrant, and he was a powerful immortal. 

            _You WERE all those things, however, we are mortal now and being mortal is this unworthy one's job. _

Kenshin was furious and fearful at the same time.

            If he was human, most likely Sanosuke, Tae, Soujiro, Misao and Katsu were also human, or would become human within the next day or so. This meant they were at a high danger risk and most likely would seek him out. It was a good chance that some of them would try to kill him once they regained their mortal memories—namely Soujiro, Misao and possibly Katsu. 

            It didn't seem as if the Rurouni cared as he shamelessly made friendly conversation with the very woman he wanted to kill. He was fraternizing with the enemy.

            _Your enemy, not mine._

Kaoru felt odd, if not a bit strange. She had wished for him to be sociable and friendly and it had come true. It was frighteningly scary. She had wondered briefly if she asked for anything, would it come true? In the minutes of their budding conversation she found herself wishing for a lot of things. 

            _I wish that he'd stop talking so politely._

            He continued to speak in his strange manner and lilt; he had even taken to calling her Kaoru-dono. 

            _I wish he'd stop calling me Kaoru-dono._

            Alas, he still called her Kaoru-dono. It would appear it was mere coincidence that he had conked out. Maybe some sort of mental illness? Would he conk out again, turn back into that nasty, foul mouthed bastard? She didn't want him to conk out again; she could be friends with the man she saw in front of her. 

            It was strange. 

           Curiously enough, in the ruckus, his bandage had fallen off of his face and in its place was a cross shaped scar. It was an angry wound that marred his skin with an untold tale of violence. She didn't know whether she would truly care to know. Still…Kaoru wasn't quite sure about Himura Shinta. There was something that she wasn't seeing…there was something…off about him…

--------------

            Megumi stared blankly at the large book in front of her. This large, boring and incredibly verbose book was devoted to the Heavenly Decree. The Heavenly Decree, a small set of laws set forth about life and death—but needed a huge book to explain them. 

            Snarling in frustration, Megumi shut the book angrily. She could barely make heads or tails of the archaic calligraphy and the more she stared, the bigger her migraine got. Gingerly, she ran a finger over her split lip. It had complicated things dramatically seeing as she couldn't smile—it hurt too much, she couldn't eat—it hurt too much, and she couldn't talk—it hurt too much. She was quite sure she looked quite haggard. 

            In a weird way, she vaguely wished she could meet that tori-atama again, just so she'd be able to return the favor. Grudgingly, she pushed away any thoughts of the rooster head. 

            "The first law of Heavenly Decree…Once we are born, we begin to die. Once we die we transcend into one three realms. Those who were divine in life rise into heaven, those who offend sink into hell and those who were neither return to the living. It's the only one worth knowing." Megumi's head shot up nervously. The library was usually empty at—Megumi glanced nervously at the clock—twelve noon. 

            "Really, I didn't think you were the cult type." Sanosuke plopped down across from Megumi, ignoring her wary stare. He watched with a vapid sense of amusement as she placed a cautious hand to her cracked lip. 

            "I didn't think you were the library type." Megumi slammed the book rashly. She was in no mood to be anywhere near this…_rooster_. 

            "The second law of Heavenly Decree…All human life is evil, and all humans have souls. Thus, to gain entry to heaven the soul must be pure. Without a soul, humans become monsters—and thus 'Vampires' are a human's true form. All soulless humans are condemned to wander for eternity. Although I'd like to think that 'vampire' is a nasty misunderstanding. You see…while vampires require blood—I am far beyond requiring it at all. We are vampires _evolved_. There is a difference you know." Sano sauntered lazily after the retreating doctor. She was rather amusing as she was rather keen in avoiding him. Sayo had been all too eager to hang around with him.

            "I don't care if you're evolved vampires or not. You're all damned for eternity, what does it matter?" Megumi suddenly wished she hadn't worn her flip flops to the library. They made it impossibly hard to run. No matter how fast she walked to get rid of him, he seemed to keep up with her with a lazy ease. 

            "You could say that, although I've been feeling a little…humanly lately, although that would defy the third law—wouldn't it?"

            "All damned souls shall stay damned as their souls are lost in limbo." Megumi's voice was clipped and curt. Sano chuckled briefly; it was so very easy to get on her nerves.

            "If you brutally generalized it, then yes. Although perhaps a loophole could be developed there, no?" 

            "Are you insane? A loophole would mean that 'God' was wrong—and THAT will never happen." Megumi scoffed—the bus stop was in sight and she was quite sure the undead didn't carry bus fare.

            "Either that or loopholes were placed there purposely." Sano dropped the goofy manner hastily and a dark look crossed his face. His hands clenched tightly, drawing _fresh, warm, blood._

            "That's a vapidly stupid idea."  

            "Really…then perhaps you could tell me where Kamiya Kaoru is." Megumi broke out into a run. This…vampire was looking for tanuki-chan. He wouldn't be able to enter the clinic, but most likely, he'd use her for extortion and then _kill the last hope they had._

            Sano snorted. Even if he was turning into a _mortal_ he could _still_ outrun her. Reaching out a hand, he gripped the female doctor by her hair. 

            "Let go of me."

            "Not likely. I really hate to do this but it doesn't seem like you're giving me much of a choice."

            "Fuck off. Even if you find her, Himura-san is with her." Sano threw back his head and laughed a rich, throaty laugh.

            "If I'm correct, _Himura-san's_ memory wipe will be wearing off soon and then we'll see how much trust you put into him." An edge of bitterness crept into Sano's voice. His limbs, though extraordinarily strong, were aching with a heavy sense of dread and weakness.

            "I don't know what you're talking about." Sano could no longer smell her fear, he could feel it but he couldn't _smell it_. The rapid beating of her heart was fading in his ears and he couldn't _hear it. Guilt soaked his bones and he pulled her head back so he could stare right into her eyes._

            "I'll bet that your Tomoe friend never knew about the loophole in the third law. If a soulless immortal could regain his soul and be mortalized—it would be possible to undo all of their evil." Megumi tensed. She was in a rather precarious situation, seeing as she was bended backwards in a Matrix type position and his deathly serious face hovering above her.

            "Fourth law of heavenly decree—there is no humanly possible way to reinstate a soul or undo the effects of the living dead."

            "Then how do you explain _this_." He crushed her head to his chest and in a heavy silence Megumi held her breath. She wasn't quite sure if it was the blood rushing through her head, or something else, but she was quite sure she heard his heartbeat.

--------------

            "So…you're telling me there is a viable loophole to the fifth law of Heavenly Decree?" Saitoh glared at a hung over Enishi. He had been planning to visit the Kamiya girl until Enishi decided to wake up again.

            "Yeah…it came to me in my dreams…I saw Sayo-san…she was crying." 

            "I don't care whether or not she was crying. What the hell is the loophole?"

            "The fifth law basically states that death can be prolonged as long as there is something keeping a soul from departing for judgment. Most of the time, it's a person's prayers or something…but if a person is stupid enough to give their own essence to another that person will live off of that essence until it runs out."

            "That's not a loophole dumbass." Saitoh flicked the ash from his cigarette in Enishi's direction. Enishi was babbling like an idiot and it was driving Saitoh insane. What the hell was taking that other boy so long to respond to a letter?

            "I'm getting to that…If a person gives their essence to another person they die, but the other person lives because their soul is either trapped into the body and blocked by the essence or the essence takes the place of the soul." Enishi rambled on irritably with a sparkle of something insane in his turquoise eyes. He was beginning to see his nee-san's plan.

            "AND?" Saitoh was growing tired of Enishi's morbid explanations and of Enishi himself period. 

            "If you could find a way to reinstate that stolen essence into the original body, you could bring back the dead. Kaoru is stealing nee-san's essence…if we kill Kaoru we can bring back nee-san and nee-san will destroy Battousai! This is nee-san's grand plan!"

            "You're sick and insane." Saitoh spat out his cigarette and gave a disgusted look at Enishi. The boy was of no mental strength to have entered this profession and he wondered why he was blind to it before.

            "You'd abandon the only chance to kill Battousai?"

            "There are numerous holes in your logic. Tomoe's loophole must be something else."

            "I don't need your help—you'll see I'll do it myself!" Enishi spat in Saitoh's face, grabbed his watou, and slammed the door behind him. Methodically, Saitoh wiped the dripping spit from his scowling face.

            "Ahou."

            Enishi was being rash and stupid again. Pissed, Saitoh sighed miserably. Enishi was bound to do something irresponsible and he feared that the Maid of Lorraine would be killed in a futile attempt to revive a dead woman—which was blatantly impossible. 

            "Tomoe-chan, forgive me. Your brother is evil and beyond redemption." Saitoh stared at his cabinet which was the hiding place of his .357 magnum. It would most likely be the easiest way to snuff out the troublesome boy but pride forbade him from using it.

            He'd settle it the old fashioned way—Enishi's watoujutsu versus his own Gatotsu. 

--------------

            Kenshin—the Rurouni Kenshin that is—was rather fond of Kaoru-dono. Of course, as fond as he was, he had absolutely no intention of staying. Yahiko—who was sulking in the couch—was now bouncing around in that cheerful kid manner and Kenshin found himself fond of him too. Although, the two people he had become fond of were rather hateful to each other.

            He was cooking dinner—since Megumi had not come back yet and Enishi was most likely _never coming back. With great amusement, he had watched Yahiko rush into his temporary room at the clinic with an urgent look on his face. Kaoru-dono had also excused herself into her room with a troubled look and Kenshin determined that he could probably guess her thoughts._

            She, most likely, was rather confused as to his intentions. While in this current state, he had nothing but the most honorable intentions but…his other half was not so dignified. The dark thoughts of a Battousai were not something he'd like to share. Two halves of one whole, that's all they were. It had been a long time since Himura Kenshin was actually a part of the world as one man. Even now, he wasn't a whole person. He was beginning to wonder if it would ever be that way. 

            Battousai—the essence of all that was carnal, secular and dark in Himura Kenshin—yet he was still endowed with a sliver of conscience. Rurouni—the essence of a soul, all that Himura Kenshin had ever hoped for—yet burdened with a sense of undying guilt. Neither was the rightful owner of this body. Its rightful owner was sleeping deep inside and it seemed almost impossible to wake him up. 

            He guessed it was very much the same with Kaoru. It was strange to be alive yet dead and dead yet alive. Tomoe had done a very risky thing; messing around with the natural states of body, mind and soul. 

            Then again, it was a very complicated matter, one that he did not truly understand himself. What did he know? In a very short amount of time, Kaoru would fall ill again. In a very short amount of time, he'd revert to his darker side and never return. The magic keeping him and Kaoru 'alive' was wearing off and he guessed he had a year at most. Kaoru would probably last longer. 

            He had one year to somehow merge with Battousai and reawaken the 'sleeping' Kenshin within himself and nullify the threat of 'Battousai'. 

            Tomoe had died, and in the process, she thrust a part of her soul into his body resulting in the reawakening of Battousai's humanity, otherwise known as Rurouni. Her magic had also kept Kaoru from dying. From what little he knew, Kenshin knew Kaoru was not Tomoe's successor but rather Tomoe was Kaoru's successor. All the Maids of Lorraine were Kaoru's successor—but he doubted she knew that. 

            Tomoe had been the last maid. There weren't going to be any more because the original Maid—the one who had first been sent down from heaven had been reborn. Kaoru had been reborn. Kenshin had also been reborn…

            And in that lay the problem. 

            He had a feeling that Sanosuke would be seeking him out soon. Tired, Kenshin lay down the knife he was using to chop up the vegetables. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do. 

            He highly doubted anyone knew what the real loophole was except for him. 

TBC…

AN: If that confuzzled the heck out of you, then I've done my job correctly. It wasn't supposed to make much sense except to let you know Kenshin's predicament, Kaoru's true status to the story (as well as why she's important), some SxM, and the set up for the next few chapters. Perhaps expose you to the complicated Heavenly Decree too…kudos to anyone who can figure out the obscure, but real loophole. 

XD…and in wondering how I would write this is realized one thing…

  
I have much too much free time. 

Jason M. Lee—that will be explained next chapter although it was partly explained this chapter…gah…from now on I will vow to do simplistic plots. XD but I guess we all have to dabble in really complicated stuff every now and then. :) although I was happy you caught onto that little fact…I was worrying nobody would…

M. Kasshoku—XD…I like Shishio in one piece…as for Enishi…eheheheh…I hope he can dodge a Gatotsu…haven't really decided if he can though…^^;

Jezika/Son Lin—Booyah! By the way…is it Jezika or Son Lin??

Bluejeans—I was wondering what happened to you…glad to know your still reading this story XD and I am happy with the 86 reviews…XD now if only my other stories could get this many…

Himura Kamiya Kaoru— A tanuki club? That sounds like fun! But with school/college starting…staying up late is not a good thing… =____=;; I should know…erg…damn AP European History homework…but I'm honored you'd stay up late enough to even read it.

Omochi—LOL zombiewoman…hrm…

Kaoru: *rises from the grave all green and decaying* hear me roar! I AM ZOMBIE WOMAN!

Kenshin: meep *runs away*

Nah…that was explained in this chapter though. She's technically dying, but Tomoe's magic is preventing it. 

Neko Oni-chan—Cliffhangers are fun, and usually an easy way for me to *ahem* end. I love their bickering interaction although since of recent events it might turn into a different type of interaction, although I hope still as amusing. To tell the truth…*whisper* I had no clue as to how I'm going to get them together either…but now I do…^^; I almost killed myself in trying to figure out how. I like Kaoru as a defiant bitch too…I think she's a lot like that in the series but toned down…^^;;

Donna8157—nyahahahahaha~!

Innocence8—XD Maid of Lorraine was actually inspired by a version of Joan of Arc that I saw where they called her the fabled Maid of Lorraine who was predicted to save France. Kenshin comatose? To me that's just funny

Johanna Gen and some other creepy person—O.O; your review was very interesting and kept me laughing for a while…glad you liked the story and I updated as requested.

Rogue solus—I kinda didn't know either so I had him wake himself up.

Keito-chan/Kate—XD ahahahahaha~ I know my story is a little sick and depressing, and yes, Megumi will remember what she did although it wasn't really all of her fault. 

Ashcandy- *blush* awwwww…that just made me smile… This baby is my first fic actually and this plot bashed me over the head until I had the courage to post it…although when its over I might do some revisions of the first few chappies.

Nicolete—lol…well if you ever do have suggestions, my ears are wide open.

Auriyu—good…it was meant to be amusing

Chiruken—wai wai~~ XD…somebody actually loves this story!!!!! And no, Kaoru is not amazingly perceptive, Its something deep within her gut which would explain why she writhes in pain around evil aka Battousai.

KouUsa—Hrm…I'd say Rurouni has more power…but what of Shinta…*wink*

Inuki—heehee…yes…I agree this is positively weird…but then again…I strive to be non cliché—I hope this isn't cliché…*getting worried look*

Teddy grahms—XD I hurried up and updated…well…since you're the most reviewer I've gotten…yeah…XD


	10. Real Emotion

In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter Nine: Real Emotion

--------------

            "They weren't that stupid in building the clinic you know. Those windows are bullet proof; a rock's not going to break the god damn window." 

            "Foxy lady, I would appreciate it if you would shut the hell up." 

            Sanosuke grit his teeth. Megumi was pretty, but she was also a headache he hadn't expected. What was with independent women? The entire time, in which he'd kidnapped her, she'd done nothing but glare at him and put up blatant roadblocks to all of his advances. Sanosuke decided he hated women's rights. What had happened to the submissive, man-fearing women from the good old days of feudal Japan? 

            Megumi was infuriated. Her aching scalp did not easily forgive Sanosuke's strong grip and in general, Megumi did not forgive smelly rooster shitheads for anything; Especially when said shitheads tied up an innocent woman and slung that innocent woman over his shoulder like a piece of meat.  

            "Bite me."

            "The last time I tried that, you kicked me where no woman should kick a man."

            Megumi grit her teeth. The nerve of this retard was unbelievable. He held no shame in trying to seduce a woman he had kidnapped, and then expect to return his ardor. Yes, she had kicked his crotch but other than a momentary grimace, he had just slung her over his shoulder and continued his advances.

            It wasn't normal for a man to be able to do that. Megumi practiced medicine; she knew how many sensory nerves were down there. Although by no means was Megumi a champion kick boxer, she had kicked pretty hard—he should have been incapacitated enabling her to run/hop away.

            "That window is bullet proof—you're not going to be able to break it with a rock. NO man could possibly break it with a rock." Megumi reiterated her statement, doubt creeping into her voice which she quickly covered with haughtiness.

           Sanosuke grinned softly and set her down none too gently onto the grass lawn. She glared up at him defiantly, which slightly unnerved him; however, he smiled roguishly and with a mischievous twinkle in his eye gave her an answer.

            "I ain't an ordinary man foxy lady." 

            He hurled the rock at the window. 

--------------

            Yahiko had always been a forgetful boy. In the last few days, he had almost forgotten about Tsubame, and the strange spider-haired policeman's letter. He fingered the envelope gently. He had already opened it, and he had already read its contents.

            The letter had told him to specifically be careful of Himura Kenshin. More importantly, it had told him to beware of Himura Kenshin because of his alter ego, Hitokiri Battousai. Yahiko bit his lip. He had been hoping to ask Shinta to help him find Tsubame but…

            Surely the fact that Himura Kenshin and Himura Shinta had the same last name and the same physical description (as expressed by the letter) was no coincidence. Peering out his bedroom door, Yahiko watched Shinta wash the dishes. Surely a killer wouldn't wash dishes; a killer would use the butcher to kill all the inhabitants of a house. Yahiko shook his head.  

            Maybe Himura Shinta was just Himura Kenshin's twin; however Yahiko quickly dismissed that thought. Who would be old enough to be Battousai's twin? Quietly, he looked down at the letter in his hands. Scrawled in scratchy handwriting, the words _Come to the 148 Precinct _blared out at him like a sore thumb.  All sense and logic told Yahiko that the spider haired policeman was a crack addict, who probably snorted heroine on the side. 

            Crumpling the letter into a small, wrinkled ball, Yahiko decided that he was tired, and lay down upon his bed. The eggshell white color of the Clinic's ceiling offered no solace; nor did it offer reprieve from the strange occurrences around him. For the first time in a very long time, Yahiko wished his mother was still alive. At that particular moment, he would have given anything to be four again waiting patiently to be tucked in by his mother. 

            Unable to come to a decision about what to do about Tsubame, he crept under the thin coverlets of 'his' bed, snuggling deep into the sheets. He wondered if Tsubame was still sleeping in the creaky old bunk beds of the Akabeko, and if she felt lonely without him in the top bunk. So deep within his own thoughts, Myoujin Yahiko was not aware that he had already slipped into a disconcerted but quiet slumber, or of the slight crack of the door through which two azure eyes watched him carefully, wishing for the same type of quiet slumber in his own sleep. 

            "Do you watch everyone sleep or are you just a pedophile?" Kenshin eyed Kaoru lazily from the corner of his eye with not a trace of a smile on his face.  Kenshin was worried, and to see Kaoru, dressed only in oversized pajamas which only made her seem more fragile and vulnerable than she actually was. 

            "Is it so wrong to make sure that everyone in the household is safe?" Kenshin's voice was quiet, no louder than a gentle lilt above the hum of the lights above them.

            "Is there any reason to worry that we might not be…'safe'?" Kenshin lips twitched into a slight smile, which quickly faded as he noticed that Kaoru's suspicious glare did not cease, but seemed to intensify.

           "Perhaps--the crime rate _has_ gone up lately." Kenshin closed Yahiko's door gently before turning to face Kaoru. At the precise moment, Kenshin didn't feel anything towards Kaoru besides a fondness that one might have for a younger sibling—but inevitably he knew that wasn't going to last very long.

            She was the reincarnation of the Maid of Lorraine, and he was the reincarnation of the white demon. She was born a child of God, and he was the son of Satan and a fallen angel. Granted, Kaoru did not know that. That, and the last time he and Kaoru had met, which was over 500 years ago, he had been a whole person. Their fates were intertwined—and even though the Maid of Lorraine had partially resurfaced in many women in the last 500 years, standing right before him, she was wholly there. 

            He could not deny that he had felt an attraction to her—Battousai had felt it, although Battousai's primal urges had suppressed until it expressed itself in forms of harsh verbal abuse (not unlike many prepubescent boys), and now he felt it. Then again, it could have just been the way her eyes seemed to stare right through him.

            "You're hiding something. I can tell." Kaoru's lips drew back into a firmly compressed line, dark blue eyes glittering with concern. Her jagged cut hair hung loosely around her shoulders, almost a reflection of herself. 

            "You're hiding something as well, are you not?" Kaoru flinched slightly at the slight accusation as a heavy guilt settled at the bottom of her stomach. Kaoru was actually quite disturbed. A sense of familiarity and longing pulsed throughout her being for reasons unknown and it was because of those unknown reasons that she broke eye contact. This man made her act strangely—infuriated and angry one moment, gentle and kind the next, suspicious and wary after that. 

            "Perhaps, we are both guilty then."

            "Perhaps we are." The minutes seemed to stretch into an awkwardly comfortable lull as both Kenshin and Kaoru got used to each other's presence. Neither was quite sure what it was that he or she felt, nor did either seem to care. All that was important was that it was a real emotion—something neither had felt in a long time.

            The silence was shattered by the shriek of broken glass.

---------------

            He could feel it. The pain that was coursing through his veins, as well as the numbness that spread like molasses over his body after the pain, drove him insane. The fucking retard had shot him. Saitou coughed violently and placed a tentative hand to the wound. Bringing his hand into the moonlight, he could smell the metallic stench of blood and see how it stained his weathered hands red.

            Fortunately enough for Saitou, the retard, Enishi, did not know how to fucking aim. Not that it hurt any less mind you, but Saitou preferred a bullet in the shoulder than through the head. To think that he had brought his katana in lieu of his gun! He had wanted to give that retarded brother of Tomoe's an honorable death, and the bastard had shot him! 

            Saitou chuckled. What did he expect? The Wolf had come to execute the runt, and like the stupid idiot he was, Enishi was not grateful. Saitou was sorely tempted to fish out his Ingram Machine gun and pump the pipsqueak full of lead, but restrained the urge. Wolves did not indulge in folly. 

            Leaning against the walls of the alleyway where he had confronted Enishi not ten minutes ago, he pulled out his cigarettes with his bloody hand, and with his other hand pulled out a lighter. Cigarette lit; Saitou took a deep whiff of the rat poisoned nicotine and exhaled slowly. He didn't care if he got lung cancer twenty years from now, for that one moment; all he needed was a smoke and the relaxation it gave him.

            Hoisting himself up off of the wall, Saitou began walking down the street towards a convenience store he frequented often. He just hoped Tokio would still put up with his shit. The wolf of Mibu did not get injured or angered easily, but when he did there was only one woman who could ever put up with him. 

            Perhaps, Saitou thought, if he were to live long enough to retire from the Vampire killing business, he would ask Tokio to marry him. Saitou snorted. It was too little, too late and with that, he threw his cigarette into the street. 

---------------

            Kenshin snapped his head towards the sound of glass breaking and quickly, his quiet, serene demeanor was clipped short. The pit of dread pulled at the bottom of his heart, and the butterflies in his stomach churned violently. It was as he had predicted; the first of many had come to seek him out—to test his strength as a "mortal" and whether to free him from 'misery' or to plunge themselves into misery behind him.

            "Wake up Yahiko and then hide in the storage room downstairs." Wordlessly, Kaoru walked into Yahiko's bedroom and Kenshin could hear the sounds of blankets ruffling and the protests of a sleepy little boy. By the time Kaoru and Yahiko reemerged from the room, a distinct change had taken over the red-haired man.

            He was no longer the gentle young man with a multitude of comic expressions, nor was he the frightening madman who exuded cold ruthlessness. He was calm, yet nobly so and Kaoru concluded despairingly that it would be impossible to know whether he was a friend or a foe.  

            At the moment, he reminded Kaoru of a seasoned samurai warrior, not unlike her father. He even held a hand to his waist, as if the saya of his sword would be waiting in the belt loops of his washed out jeans. He was very handsome, yet intimidating; Kaoru was rooted in her spot and was hardly able to form coherent words when his dark blue eyes questioned her prolonged stay at the entrance to Yahiko's room. 

            "Certainly, you don't expect me to leave you to fight off a burglar without a weapon." 

            "A lady should not be present during what may or may not become a brutal fight."

            "You mean slaughter." Yahiko watched the exchange carefully and wisely silent. He felt Kaoru's small hand on the small of his back, and the hairs of his neck stood up. Looking over to Kaoru's line of sight, he could see her eyeing the broom that Kenshin had laid against the door to the bathroom, which was on the wall adjacent to Yahiko's room.

            "Kaoru, please take Yahiko into the storage room and stay with him there."

            "For god's sake Shinta, at least use a god damned broomstick." Blushing furiously, she grabbed the broomstick from its resting place and thrust it into Shinta's surprised grasp. Without a second glance back, she hauled a bewildered Yahiko towards the storage room feeling ultimately flustered and confused.

            Smiling to himself lightly, he acknowledged the presence of his formerly loyal second hand man, broomstick clutched in his hands. 

            "Really Kenshin, you're not going to fight me with that, are you?" Kenshin turned to face the taller Sanosuke, his dark blue eyes devoid of any former amusement. Raising the broom stick as his sword, Sanosuke smirked.

            The adrenaline pumped through Sanosuke's veins and his dark brown eyes glittered with excitement. Either way, Sanosuke already knew what the outcome would be. He had always known what the outcome would be—and yet he still needed to fight a real fight.

            For once, Sanosuke didn't mind feeling alive. 

---------------     

            Curled up in pain, Makimachi Misao lay face down on the tracks of an abandoned subway station. Not far from where the tiny girl lay, Seta Soujiro stared at his hands in disgust. The tiny trickles of power that made him the Tenken were fading slowly. His eyes slowly moved from his hands towards a pained Misao.

            "She won't forgive you." 

            "I know."

            "You should leave her here then."

            "That's what I was planning on doing." Soujiro gave one last pitiful look to Misao and followed his mother's apparition's voice towards the tracks leading to Kyoto. No longer the Tenken, he could feel all of his real emotions welling up inside of him. 

            He hated it. 

AN: Wow everybody…I took a huge hiatus due to the fact that I've been having a lot of shit in my life lately.

  
I'm not into giving excuses and everything but just so you get an Idea of what's been bugging me since September:

A) My parents have been fighting a lot more often: at one point throwing random objects at each other and me flying into the globe/bookcase area of my living room.

B) Around Thanksgiving all the way through New Year's I started having health issues where I was having these really sharp chest pains. Turns out I have a skeletal problem (My rib cage is way too small) that goes along with stress, exhaustion, cold weather and high cholesterol—so I've been trying to lower my cholesterol.

C) Sophomore year at Stuyvesant High School is brutal. I spend about six hours a night doing homework/reports/studying and I'm only doing so-so. For a while I was failing chemistry and struggling with AP European History Homework. I've gotten better at chemistry, but anyone offering to tutor? :)

D) I get no sleep. Literally, for the last five months I've been averaging 2-5 hours of sleep per night including weekends. I'm swamped with work and I've just been exhausted. Around a month or so ago, I collapsed from overwork and I've been getting better. 

So my life has been a mess for the last few months and its slowly getting back on track. I apologize for taking so long with this chapter but hopefully, it'll make me a better writer as well. 

Reviews:

JML- yes well…now Enishi's shot Saitou. I can't really expect Enishi to live much longer…hehe…

The Girl who Cried Oro- ^^;; 

Teddygrahms- I hate chemistry too. It's evil. ___; Ksp, equilibrium expressions….I wish it would all just go away… *Cries* in New York we have to take the chemistry regents too. TT_TT

Ashcandy- the heavenly decree isn't really based off of a religion—more or less it was inspired by the movie DOGMA. :)

KouUsa- Eh, I never liked Buffy after the second or third season.... However, yes, Dogma somewhat inspired this story but just the Heavenly Decree Part. What they do with the Heavenly decree is different. 

Wolfgirl- yay!

Omochi- My view on Tomoe in this story is that of a catalyst—and yes…she did do good. Maybe I'll do another flashback to the past chapter, thought I'm not really too sure.

M. Kasshoku- :D well, close but no cigar. Yes Kenshin and Sano are becoming mortal, but as to whether Saitou will hunt them all down…I think he's busy hunting Enishi.

Chiruken- Kenshin's hands are so full that they'll fall off eventually from the weight of all the things he's carrying. XD. You can be two halves of one whole, but if there isn't something that defines you as a mix of both good and evil, you can never really be one whole.

:)

lessa4- ^^;; happy happy joy joy reminds me of ren and stimpy…

BakaRyu- I'm glad you like, its about to get a tad bit more confusing as I am confused myself :D

Kimiko- I'm very very flattered and glad you like this story :D

Himura Kamiya Kaoru: O_______O; Your reviews amuse me :D

Sess9- oh Enishi is on his way to being snuffed.

Neko Oni-chan- :D Your review made me uber happy. I hope that this chapter was as good as the last and in the next chapter, the loophole is explained. I hope its not too abstract -___-;

Yoshikawa- :D

Geminidragon- I'm sorry!!!! I updated!!!

Angels-giving89/Irene- ^^: I updated! And no I haven't forgotten!!! :D

Velda- I loved writing the Aoshi-Misao-Soujiro triangle, and it will most definitely get more complicated as Misao and Soujiro are losing vampyness quite quickly.

Paisita- I hate it when that happens…you read a story and then..pshhh no chapters left…well hopefully I'll be writing more often so that won't have to happen. 


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